Phrase of the hour
Kick the habit
To quit a bad routine or vice, shaking it off.
Uncover the storyA curious dictionary of everyday English
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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
Pop the question
To propose marriage - informally, abruptly, and usually with far more nerve than ceremony. The question is understood without being named, and the coy…
Meaning & originA shaggy dog story
A long, rambling joke or anecdote, packed with deliberate detours and irrelevant detail, that ends in a flat or absurd punchline. The comedy lies in…
Meaning & originDraw the line
To set a firm limit on what one is willing to accept, tolerate, or do. It is usually followed by 'at' plus the refused behaviour, as in declining to…
Meaning & originMy brother's keeper
A person responsible for another person's welfare or conduct. Traditional brother can be used generically, but sibling's keeper or one another's…
Meaning & originBlind date
A romantic meeting arranged between two strangers - typically by a matchmaking friend or relative, briefly, in public, with both parties flying on…
Meaning & originTopsy-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 & originDigital detox
A planned break from phones, social media, and other screens for a defined period, intended to reduce stress and reset everyday technology habits…
Meaning & originBite the dust
Fall dead or defeated; more broadly, fail, break down, or come to an end.
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.