Phrase of the hour
Empty nester
A parent whose children have grown and gone - the household suddenly quiet, the bedrooms suddenly spare, the syndrome optional. The word frames the…
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.
1,921
curious expressions
1,605
source-backed entries
3,442
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
Mesmerize
To hold someone's complete attention as if by a spell; to hypnotize or transfix. The word began as a literal medical term for inducing a trance…
Meaning & originDouble-double
A coffee prepared with two servings of cream and two of sugar. Current informal food-and-drink term Regional use: Canada.
Meaning & originHustle culture
An ethos, associated with startup and social-media-era workplaces, that treats constant work, long hours and relentless self-optimisation as the…
Meaning & originCloud cuckoo land
An imaginary realm of wildly impractical or deluded notions; if someone lives in cloud cuckoo land, their beliefs or plans are hopelessly unrealistic…
Meaning & originGreen flag
A positive sign that a person or situation is likely healthy, safe, or worthwhile, especially a trait that makes a potential partner or friend seem…
Meaning & originEvery dog has its day
Everyone gets a chance at success or revenge eventually, no matter how unlikely.
Meaning & originThe ick
A sudden feeling of disgust or repulsion toward someone you are dating or attracted to, usually triggered by something trivial such as the way they…
Meaning & originA drop in the bucket
A tiny part of a big whole, barely a dent.
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.