Phrase of the hour
For love or money
Under any circumstances or by any inducement, most often used after a negative. Usually appears in a negative clause. Outside that construction it may…
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Plain-English meanings.
Folklore labelled honestly.
Folklore labelled honestly.
Start with a letter
Browse the cabinet
Pulled from the drawers
A few curious finds
Eat crow
To admit a humiliating mistake and take the bitter hit, swallowing pride like a tough, unpalatable bird-grudgingly accepting defeat.
Meaning & originLike herding cats
A task so chaotic or impossible it's like corralling free-roaming cats-wild, scattered, and defiant of order.
Meaning & originQueen Anne is dead
A sarcastic response meaning that the supposed news is stale, obvious or universally known. A sarcastic rejoinder. It can sound needlessly sharp when…
Meaning & originBetter late than never
Doing something after the ideal time is preferable to not doing it at all. Often said lightly after a delay. It can sound inadequate when the delay…
Meaning & originNo man is an island
No person is wholly self-sufficient; human lives depend on and affect one another. Man is generic in the historical wording; no one is an inclusive…
Meaning & originFish or cut bait
Decide to act or step aside, no dallying.
Meaning & originCut to the chase
To skip unnecessary details and get to the main point or action quickly, often reflecting impatience with preamble or fluff. It's a directive for…
Meaning & originLike a lamb to the slaughter
Without resistance or awareness, into danger, defeat, or an unpleasant situation. Usually ominous and sometimes melodramatic. Lambs to the slaughter…
Meaning & originLanguage has legends. Evidence matters.
Colourful story or documented history?
Phrase origins are full of irresistible myths. We separate what historical sources can show from what remains disputed, and link the references behind researched entries.