Phrase of the hour
We're all Jock Tamson's bairns
We share a common humanity and none of us is inherently above the others. Affirming and egalitarian. It may refer to all humanity or, in a narrower…
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.
1,385
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
Nail your colours to the mast
To declare your allegiance to a person, party or position openly and irrevocably, committing yourself to it whatever the consequences. It implies…
Meaning & originChip off the old block
A person who closely resembles a parent in character, temperament, or ability, and sometimes in appearance. Usually said of a son or daughter who has…
Meaning & originWear your heart on your sleeve
Show your feelings openly and make little effort to conceal your emotional vulnerability.
Meaning & originOne swallow doesn't make a summer
A single favourable sign does not prove that the wider situation has turned; one good result, one good day, or one data point cannot stand for the…
Meaning & originGive the green light
To okay or let go, all clear.
Meaning & originUp to snuff
Of a satisfactory or acceptable standard: 'the second rehearsal wasn't up to snuff'. Usually negated ('not up to snuff') to criticize quality or…
Meaning & originNot worth the candle
Not worth the effort or cost, a dim gain.
Meaning & originNeck and crop
Completely and often with abrupt or forceful dispatch, especially when someone is thrown out or falls headlong. Dated and chiefly British. It most…
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.