Phrase of the hour
A little bird told me
A playful way of saying that you learned something from an informant you prefer not to name. It typically teases or gently signals that you know a…
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.
1,145
curious expressions
829
source-backed entries
1,695
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
Topsy-turvy
Upside down, inverted or in a state of thorough confusion where the normal order has been disrupted. May describe literal inversion or figurative…
Meaning & originIn the driver's seat
In charge or control.
Meaning & originStrange bedfellows
An unlikely, surprising or uneasy pairing of people, groups or ideas, often created by necessity or shared interest. Often used in political…
Meaning & originNot the full quid
Not very intelligent, sensible or fully aware of what is happening. Derogatory and potentially ableist when applied to a person. The variants are…
Meaning & originEgg on your face
The embarrassment of being left looking foolish after a public error, a failed prediction, or a boast that backfires. It almost always appears in the…
Meaning & originNot worth a tinker's damn
Worth absolutely nothing, or so unimportant that it merits no concern.
Meaning & originNull and void
Having no legal force, binding effect or validity, and therefore incapable of being enforced. Common in contracts and judgments, but also used…
Meaning & originLike herding cats
A task so chaotic or impossible it's like corralling free-roaming cats-wild, scattered, and defiant of order.
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.