Phrase of the hour
Not give a hoot
To care very little or not at all.
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Plain-English meanings.
Folklore labelled honestly.
Folklore labelled honestly.
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A few curious finds
Turn the other cheek
Refuse to retaliate after insult or injury, choosing restraint instead of revenge or escalation. It advocates non-retaliation, not passive acceptance…
Meaning & originCock a snook
Make a derisive gesture, or openly show contempt for a person or rule. Informal and defiant. The literal gesture is also known as thumbing one's nose…
Meaning & originClear as a bell
Perfectly clear, whether of a sound heard without distortion, a sky without haze, or an idea grasped at once. Originally about sound, it now more…
Meaning & originOne-trick pony
A person, group or product whose ability or appeal rests on a single talent, skill or feature, with little range beyond it. It is usually said with…
Meaning & originBet your bottom dollar
To be completely certain that something will happen or is true; to stake everything on an outcome because you have no doubt about it. The image is of…
Meaning & originLike a kid in a candy store
Thrilled or wild with glee, all eyes.
Meaning & originWhere there's muck there's brass
Dirty, unpleasant or unglamorous work can produce worthwhile profit or prosperity. Informal and often approving of practical enterprise, though it can…
Meaning & originOn the same wavelength
Thinking alike - sharing a way of looking at things so completely that each understands the other without explanation. Its negative, not on the same…
Meaning & origin
Language 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.