Phrase of the hour
Fall off the wagon
To relapse into a bad habit, usually drinking, after quitting.
Uncover the storyA curious dictionary of everyday English
Every odd phrase has
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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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855
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
See the elephant
Gain a much-anticipated but often harsh or disillusioning experience. Historical and now obscure Regional use: United States, especially 19th-century…
Meaning & originNothing new under the sun
Human events and ideas repeat; what seems novel usually has a precedent. Often wry or resigned rather than literally denying all innovation. Regional…
Meaning & originSpend a penny
Use the toilet, especially to urinate. Historically associated particularly with women's pay cubicles because men's urinals were often free. Regional…
Meaning & originRun off your feet
Rushed or swamped, no stop.
Meaning & originCold feet
A sudden loss of courage or confidence that makes someone hesitate or withdraw from a planned action.
Meaning & originAid and abet
To help, encourage or facilitate another person's wrongdoing, especially the commission of a crime. Strongly associated with criminal law, although it…
Meaning & originAbove board
Honest and open in dealings, with nothing hidden or shady.
Meaning & originHell in a handbasket
A rapid or unchecked decline into ruin, disorder, or moral decay. Current informal idiom Regional use: United States and Britain.
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.