Phrase of the hour
Back to the drawing board
Back to the planning stage because a plan, design or attempt has failed and must be started again from the beginning. Applied to projects, strategies…
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.
1,857
curious expressions
1,541
source-backed entries
3,209
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
Hang a Roger
Turn right, especially while driving. Current but informal and regionally variable Regional use: Canada.
Meaning & originCall a spade a spade
To speak plainly and directly, describing something exactly as it is even when the truth is blunt or unwelcome. It names frankness about awkward facts…
Meaning & originThe calm before the storm
A deceptively quiet or peaceful period just before trouble, conflict or intense activity erupts. Usually spoken with foreboding rather than relief…
Meaning & originBread and butter
A person's or organisation's main source of income or essential means of living, as in 'tourism is the island's bread and butter'; also used…
Meaning & originKeep your head above water
To manage to survive or keep coping, especially when money, time, or energy is only just sufficient. It implies struggling at the very limit of your…
Meaning & originScot-free
Without punishment, payment, injury, or other adverse consequence. The first element is scot, not Scott. It can concern harm as well as formal…
Meaning & originCaught flat-footed
Caught off-guard or slow, not ready.
Meaning & originEat, drink and be merry
Enjoy food, drink, and present pleasures, sometimes because the future is uncertain. Can celebrate present enjoyment or criticize short-sighted…
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.