Phrase of the hour
The be-all and end-all
The most important, decisive or comprehensive part of something, treated as if nothing else matters. Often appears in negative statements that reject…
Uncover the storyA curious dictionary of everyday English
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Discover what peculiar British and American expressions mean, where they came from, and how people actually use them.
1,585
curious expressions
1,269
source-backed entries
2,575
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
Out of the frying pan into the fire
To move from a bad situation into an even worse one while trying to escape it. Almost always framed as motion - going, jumping, or falling from the…
Meaning & originBehind the eight ball
In a difficult, disadvantageous, or awkward position from which there is no easy escape. Originally and chiefly American; widely understood elsewhere…
Meaning & originOver the moon
Extremely happy and delighted. British in flavour though now widely understood elsewhere, it typically appears in the construction 'to be over the…
Meaning & originMansplaining
Explaining something in a condescending or overconfident way, especially a man explaining to a woman who in fact knows more about the topic than he…
Meaning & originShow your true colours
To reveal what you are really like - your genuine character, allegiance, or intentions - after keeping it hidden or presenting a different front. The…
Meaning & originFall flat
To fail completely to produce the intended or expected effect, especially of a joke, speech, stunt or performance that is met with silence instead of…
Meaning & originManspreading
A man sitting with his knees spread wide apart, especially on public transport, so that he occupies more than one seat. Informal and usually a…
Meaning & originHate-watching
The practice of following a television show, film, or video that you dislike on purpose, taking entertainment from mocking its flaws rather than from…
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.