Phrase of the hour
Bated breath
Breathing held or subdued because of suspense, fear or intense expectation. Bated, not baited, is the standard spelling. It most often follows with…
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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
Eat crow
To admit a humiliating mistake and take the bitter hit, swallowing pride like a tough, unpalatable bird-grudgingly accepting defeat.
Meaning & originRun out of steam
Lose pep or drive, all spent.
Meaning & originApple polisher
A flatterer - someone who curries favour with a superior by attentiveness, gifts, and relentless helpfulness. The schoolroom gave the insult its…
Meaning & originBetween the devil and the deep blue sea
Facing a choice between two equally harmful or unwelcome options; caught in a dilemma with no good way out. The two dangers need not be physical; the…
Meaning & originReap the whirlwind
Suffer greatly amplified and often destructive consequences of one's own actions. More severe than reap what you sow: the whirlwind suggests…
Meaning & originMoney down the drain
Money spent with nothing to show for it, wasted or irretrievably lost; the wider phrase covers any effort, work or opportunity squandered just as…
Meaning & originLike the clappers
Extremely fast or with great energy. Informal and lively. The verb changes with the action being intensified. Regional use: Chiefly British English.
Meaning & originRide herd on
Closely supervise, control, or keep watch over a person, group, or complicated activity so that it stays in order. Informal. It can imply necessary…
Meaning & origin
Language has legends. Evidence matters.
Colourful story or documented history?
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