Phrase of the hour
Vanish into thin air
To disappear completely and mysteriously, leaving no trace, sign, or explanation behind. Applied to people, objects, money, files, and hopes alike, it…
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1,901
curious expressions
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Plain-English meanings.
Folklore labelled honestly.
Folklore labelled honestly.
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Bring down the house
To win wild, roaring applause, laughter or cheering from an audience; to be an overwhelming success with a crowd. Though born in the theatre, it now…
Meaning & originLike a lamb to the slaughter
Without resistance or awareness, into danger, defeat, or an unpleasant situation. Usually ominous and sometimes melodramatic. Lambs to the slaughter…
Meaning & originThe cat's pyjamas
Something or someone excellent, stylish or delightful; the finest of its kind. The expression is dated 1920s slang and survives mainly in playful…
Meaning & originA pretty kettle of fish
A muddle, mess or awkward state of affairs; an embarrassing predicament. Almost always ironic, with pretty, fine or nice doing the opposite of its…
Meaning & originRack your brains
To think very hard, straining to recall a fact, a name, or a solution. Typically found in continuous forms, as in 'I have been racking my brains all…
Meaning & originUnder the thumb
Completely dominated or controlled by another person, with little or no independent say in decisions. It usually describes a marriage, family or…
Meaning & originKeep 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 & originCherry-pick
To select only the best, easiest, or most favorable items from a larger set while passing over the rest; applied to facts, data, or evidence it…
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.