Phrase of the moment
A leopard can't change its spots
A person's core nature or habits are unalterable, no matter how they try to appear otherwise, suggesting deep-seated traits persist like a leopard's fixed markings.
Uncover the storyA curious dictionary of everyday English
Every odd phrase has
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Discover what peculiar British and American expressions mean, where they came from, and how people actually use them.
721
curious expressions
405
source-backed entries
847
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
Sweet as
Excellent, acceptable, agreed or all right. Informal. Sweet-as with a hyphen may be used before a noun, while the…
Meaning & originUp in arms
Riled up or ready to fight, hot and mad.
Meaning & originGo for the big skate
Coast or wait for a conspicuous scoring chance instead of contributing steadily to team play. Highly obscure and…
Meaning & originBag and baggage
With all one's possessions, or completely and without leaving anything important behind. Often follows leave, depart, move or…
Meaning & originLike billy-o
Very hard, fast, loudly or intensely. Can intensify many verbs, not only movement: rain, work, shout and hurt are natural…
Meaning & originLollygag
Dawdle, loiter, or waste time when something should be done. Current, informal, and often humorous Regional use: United…
Meaning & originThe whole ball of wax
Everything involved in a matter: the complete collection, arrangement, business, or set of related concerns. Informal and…
Meaning & originFull of hot air
Talking big with no substance, all puff.
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.