Phrase of the hour
On the horns of a dilemma
Stuck picking between two bad options, torn.
Uncover the storyA curious dictionary of everyday English
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Discover what peculiar British and American expressions mean, where they came from, and how people actually use them.
725
curious expressions
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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
Like turkeys voting for Christmas
Doing something foolishly against your own interests.
Meaning & originAt your wits' end
So worried, confused, or frustrated that you cannot think what to do next. The possessive changes with the subject: my wits' end, his wits' end, and…
Meaning & originCaught in the crosshairs
Trapped in a tight spot or aim, pinned.
Meaning & originTake the rough with the smooth
To accept life's ups and downs, good with bad.
Meaning & originHobson's choice
A supposed choice in which the only real options are to accept what is offered or take nothing. Often confused with a dilemma between two bad…
Meaning & originEat out of your hand
To be easily controlled or swayed, tamed.
Meaning & originNo rose without a thorn
Even the most attractive opportunity or pleasant circumstance has some drawback, difficulty, or pain. More literary than every rose has its thorn. It…
Meaning & originPipe down
Become quiet, or tell someone firmly to stop talking or making noise. Informal and often brusque. Directed at a person, it can sound ruder than…
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.