Phrase of the hour
A storm in a teacup
A great commotion over a trivial matter; an uproar wildly out of proportion to its real importance. The standard British form; the usual American…
Uncover the storyA curious dictionary of everyday English
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Discover what peculiar British and American expressions mean, where they came from, and how people actually use them.
1,857
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
Knee-high to a grasshopper
Extremely small, and by extension extremely young. In practice it almost always describes someone as they were in early childhood, as in 'I've known…
Meaning & originSpin doctor
A political press officer or media adviser whose job is to shape how journalists interpret events, putting the most favourable twist on bad news for…
Meaning & originEaten out of house and home
Said of a person, animal or habit whose consumption is so large it ruins the household footing the bill; today usually hyperbole with affectionate…
Meaning & originIn the doghouse
In disgrace or out of favor, sidelined for a misstep.
Meaning & originBell the cat
To bell the cat is to undertake or volunteer for a dangerous, near-impossible task on behalf of others, especially one that everyone agrees would be…
Meaning & originKnuckle down
To settle down to serious, disciplined effort on a task, often after delay, distraction or half-hearted attempts. It implies a deliberate shift into…
Meaning & originYou've got rocks in your head
You are showing very poor judgment or proposing something the speaker considers foolish. A blunt insult to someone's judgment or intelligence. It can…
Meaning & originMarch to a different drummer
To live by one's own standards and timetable rather than conforming to the pace, values, or expectations of the people around you; a shorthand for…
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.