Phrase of the hour
You've got your work cut out
Facing a tough, big job, all laid out.
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.
1,175
curious expressions
859
source-backed entries
1,755
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
Not cricket
Unfair, dishonourable or contrary to accepted standards of conduct. Usually a mild moral rebuke rather than a literal reference to sport. Regional…
Meaning & originYou've got another think coming
You're wrong and need to rethink, a sharp correction.
Meaning & originSafe as houses
Completely safe, secure, or certain of success, said especially of investments, savings, or plans that carry no apparent risk. A chiefly British…
Meaning & originSoft day, thank God
A mild, damp or lightly rainy day, acknowledged with gratitude or dry humour. Regional and often wry rather than devout. It can sound stereotyped when…
Meaning & originHold thumbs
Hope for good luck or wish that something will succeed. The local equivalent of cross your fingers. It can refer either to the gesture or simply to…
Meaning & originDamp squib
A disappointing event or effort that produces far less effect than expected. Do not list 'damp squid' as a standard variant; it is a common…
Meaning & originHalcyon days
A remembered period of happiness, prosperity, calm, or ideal conditions, almost always invoked retrospectively ('the halcyon days of something'). In…
Meaning & originOn the razzle
Out for a wild spree or fun, all go.
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.