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
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.
725
curious expressions
409
source-backed entries
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
Keep the ball rolling
Maintain momentum by causing an activity, discussion, plan, or process to continue rather than stall or stop. Informal but suitable in many…
Meaning & originA laughing stock
A person, group or thing made an object of widespread ridicule. Modern dictionaries usually close the compound as laughingstock, while British…
Meaning & originMight and main
Using all available physical strength, determination, and sustained effort to achieve something. Often sounds literary, humorous, or deliberately…
Meaning & originPut wood in the hole
Shut the door, usually because an open doorway is letting in cold air. Regional, informal and increasingly associated with older speakers. The 'oil'…
Meaning & originLead-pipe cinch
An outcome regarded as absolutely certain or very easy. Dated and emphatic Regional use: United States, initially horse-racing slang.
Meaning & originPart and parcel
An essential, expected, or inseparable component of a larger activity, system, or experience. Most often appears after be: something is part and…
Meaning & originMay Two-Four
Victoria Day or its long weekend in Canada. Current informal holiday name Regional use: Canada, strongest in Ontario and also familiar in British…
Meaning & originSick as a dog
Real ill or down, laid low.
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.