Phrase of the hour
Jump out of the frying pan into the fire
To flee one mess for a worse one, no win.
Uncover the storyA curious dictionary of everyday English
Discover what peculiar British and American expressions mean, where they came from, and how people actually use them.
Phrase of the hour
To flee one mess for a worse one, no win.
Uncover the storyStart with a letter
Pulled from the drawers
Maintain momentum by causing an activity, discussion, plan, or process to continue rather than stall or stop. Informal but suitable in many…
Meaning & originA person, group or thing made an object of widespread ridicule. Modern dictionaries usually close the compound as laughingstock, while British…
Meaning & originUsing all available physical strength, determination, and sustained effort to achieve something. Often sounds literary, humorous, or deliberately…
Meaning & originShut the door, usually because an open doorway is letting in cold air. Regional, informal and increasingly associated with older speakers. The 'oil'…
Meaning & originAn outcome regarded as absolutely certain or very easy. Dated and emphatic Regional use: United States, initially horse-racing slang.
Meaning & originAn essential, expected, or inseparable component of a larger activity, system, or experience. Most often appears after be: something is part and…
Meaning & originVictoria Day or its long weekend in Canada. Current informal holiday name Regional use: Canada, strongest in Ontario and also familiar in British…
Meaning & originReal ill or down, laid low.
Meaning & originLanguage has legends. Evidence matters.
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.