Phrase of the hour
Which came first, the chicken or the egg
The classic causality dilemma: when two things each appear to depend on the other, which one produced the first? Used rhetorically of any circular or…
Uncover the storyA curious dictionary of everyday English
Every odd phrase has
a story to tell.
Discover what peculiar British and American expressions mean, where they came from, and how people actually use them.
1,901
curious expressions
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source-backed entries
3,378
research references
Plain-English meanings.
Folklore labelled honestly.
Folklore labelled honestly.
Start with a letter
Browse the cabinet
Pulled from the drawers
A few curious finds
Read the Riot Act
Deliver a severe reprimand and warn that further misconduct will bring punishment. Usually figurative and often capitalized because of the historical…
Meaning & originUp the duff
Pregnant. This British and Australian slang expression is informal and can sound coarse, dismissive, or offensive depending on the speaker and…
Meaning & originHumblebrag
A statement, usually a complaint or a show of modesty, that is really intended to boast; for example sighing about how exhausting it is to be asked…
Meaning & originFool me once, shame on you
Being deceived once is the deceiver's fault, but letting the same deception succeed a second time is your own, because you failed to learn from…
Meaning & originWhite lie
A minor falsehood told to avoid hurting someone's feelings, to be polite, or to smooth over something unimportant, rather than to deceive for personal…
Meaning & originDaylight robbery
Blatant, shameless overcharging; extortion so open that those responsible make no attempt to conceal it. Chiefly British and informal, typically an…
Meaning & originTouch grass
A dismissive instruction telling someone to go offline and reconnect with reality, aimed at people whose views seem warped by spending too much time…
Meaning & originCome the raw prawn
Attempt to deceive, impose upon or treat someone unfairly. Informal and confrontational, often used in a warning not to try a trick. Regional use…
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.