Phrase of the hour
Look what the cat dragged in
A teasing or mocking way of acknowledging someone's arrival, implying that they look untidy, exhausted or rough, or that their appearance is an…
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2,006
curious expressions
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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
Money doesn't grow on trees
A warning that money is not easily obtained and should not be spent or requested carelessly; said especially to someone, often a child, who treats…
Meaning & originHave an axe to grind
Possess a private, often selfish motive or grievance that shapes one's advice, argument, or involvement in a matter. Usually critical. American…
Meaning & originMake a holy show of yourself
Behave so foolishly in public that you become a ridiculous spectacle. Informal and admonishing. 'Holy' is an intensifier; the phrase does not normally…
Meaning & originA tough act to follow
A performance, predecessor or achievement so outstanding that whoever comes next will struggle to match it. Farlex's examples run from an admired…
Meaning & originA run for your money
Most often in 'give someone a run for their money': to push a rival hard and make them earn the win, even if you lose. In 'get or have a run for your…
Meaning & originBy and large
Generally, on the whole or after considering the main aspects. A sentence adverb usually set off by commas. 'By in large' is a mishearing, not a…
Meaning & originThe tail wagging the dog
A situation in which a minor or subordinate part controls or dictates to the larger, more important whole - for instance when a peripheral issue…
Meaning & originChip off the old block
A person who closely resembles a parent in character, temperament, or ability, and sometimes in appearance. Usually said of a son or daughter who has…
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.