Phrase of the hour
Two-four
A case containing twenty-four bottles of beer. Current informal term and cultural identity marker Regional use: Canada, especially Ontario, Western…
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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
On the razzle
Out for a wild spree or fun, all go.
Meaning & originFair to middling
Acceptable or moderately good, but not especially impressive.
Meaning & originOn the lam
On the run or fleeing, all dodge.
Meaning & originCry over spilled milk
To waste time or emotion regretting something trivial or irreversible, lamenting a loss that can't be undone instead of moving on. It conjures a…
Meaning & originQueer fish
An odd, eccentric, or unconventional person. Old-fashioned and potentially awkward or offensive today. The idiom predates the modern identity sense of…
Meaning & originTurn King's evidence
Give evidence for the prosecution against one's alleged accomplices, usually in hope of leniency. Legal and sometimes figurative. In 2026 the UK form…
Meaning & originUp the ante
To raise the stakes or demands, pushing higher.
Meaning & originMake ends meet
Have just enough income or resources to cover necessary expenses. Usually concerns household finances and basic needs. Both is historically common but…
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.