Phrase of the hour
Core memory
A deeply formative, emotionally charged memory treated as central to a person's identity, or, jokingly, any vivid flash of nostalgia. Most often met…
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.
1,849
curious expressions
1,533
source-backed entries
3,174
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
Wear the trousers
To be the dominant or decision-making partner in a household or relationship: 'everyone knows who wears the trousers in that marriage'. Historically…
Meaning & originMake a pig of yourself
Eat too much, especially in a visibly greedy or self-indulgent way. Informal and explicitly disapproving. It is often self-deprecating, but directed…
Meaning & originLike a broken record
Said of someone who repeats the same point, complaint, or request over and over until listeners are worn down. The comparison is to a vinyl record so…
Meaning & originErsatz
Describing a substitute or imitation, nearly always one judged inferior to the real thing - synthetic coffee, fake affection, a mock version of a…
Meaning & originCushioning
Maintaining flirtatious or romantic contact with people outside your main relationship, or outside the one you are pursuing, so that prospects are on…
Meaning & originRaining pitchforks
A torrential downpour so fierce it's like pitchforks falling from the sky, stabbing the ground with relentless force-an absurdly violent rain.
Meaning & originOne swallow doesn't make a summer
A single favourable sign does not prove that the wider situation has turned; one good result, one good day, or one data point cannot stand for the…
Meaning & originA stone's throw
Very close, just a short distance.
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.