Phrase of the hour
Dine with Duke Humphrey
Go without dinner, especially while pretending or hoping to dine. Archaic. It refers to missing a meal, not to eating grandly with a nobleman…
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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
Cut the mustard
Meet the required standard or perform adequately. Current informal idiom Regional use: United States; now widespread.
Meaning & originNot for Joe
Certainly not for me; an emphatic refusal of an offer, proposal or course of action. Dated and jocular. Joe or Joseph stands for the speaker, not…
Meaning & originCat got your tongue?
A teasing or mildly challenging question asked when someone is unexpectedly silent or unwilling to answer.
Meaning & originIn the same boat
Sharing a common plight or fate, stuck together.
Meaning & originHold thumbs
Hope for good luck or wish that something will succeed. The local equivalent of cross your fingers. It can refer either to the gesture or simply to…
Meaning & originNo spring chicken
Someone no longer young or inexperienced, often past their prime, with a hint of weariness or lost agility implied. It's a gentle jab at age or…
Meaning & originIn the lap of luxury
Living in grand comfort or wealth, pampered.
Meaning & originEvery dog has its day
Everyone gets a chance at success or revenge eventually, no matter how unlikely.
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.