Phrase of the hour
Monkey on your back
A persistent burden, compulsion, or problem that is difficult to escape; historically, especially a drug addiction. Informal. In addiction contexts it…
Uncover the storyA curious dictionary of everyday English
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725
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
All Lombard Street to a China orange
Overwhelming odds in favour of one outcome; a near certainty. A colourful but obscure betting metaphor. It may be used for odds either stated…
Meaning & originFeel your oats
Feel unusually lively, confident, frisky, or self-important. Current but somewhat folksy Regional use: United States, later wider North American…
Meaning & originPipe down
Become quiet, or tell someone firmly to stop talking or making noise. Informal and often brusque. Directed at a person, it can sound ruder than…
Meaning & originA dark horse
An unexpected contender or winner, a surprise.
Meaning & originHell-bent for leather
Moving with reckless speed or pursuing something with fierce determination. Colourful, somewhat old-fashioned Regional use: Blended American and…
Meaning & originSick as a pig
Real ill or down.
Meaning & originMake a mountain out of a molehill
To exaggerate a small problem into something much bigger than it is, often out of anxiety, drama, or misperspective, blowing minor issues out of…
Meaning & originIn hot water
In trouble or a difficult situation, often due to one's own actions, facing consequences with a sense of being scalded or trapped. It evokes…
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.