Phrase of the hour
Keep your pecker up
Remain cheerful, courageous, or determined despite difficulty. This chiefly British expression is old-fashioned and easily misunderstood…
Uncover the storyA curious dictionary of everyday English
Every odd phrase has
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Discover what peculiar British and American expressions mean, where they came from, and how people actually use them.
1,465
curious expressions
1,149
source-backed entries
2,335
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
Like Hogan's goat
Obnoxious, faulty, badly behaved, or forever interfering. Obscure and dated Regional use: United States.
Meaning & originTighten the purse strings
To cut back spending and control the flow of money more strictly, whether in a household, a company, or a government budget; the paired expression…
Meaning & originEasy as pie
Super simple or effortless, a breeze.
Meaning & originNosh
To eat a snack or nibble between meals, or the snack itself; in British English the noun has broadened to mean food in general ('grab some nosh'). The…
Meaning & originHit the hay
To go to bed, especially to go to sleep for the night. It is an informal, chiefly American expression, though it is widely understood elsewhere…
Meaning & originWater under the bridge
Past events, especially quarrels or mistakes, that are now irrecoverable and therefore best forgiven or forgotten. Typically said during…
Meaning & originMake a rod for your own back
To set up your own trouble, self-made.
Meaning & originRing the changes
To vary something repeatedly, running through the available alternatives: altering a routine, menu, presentation, or choice of words to keep it fresh…
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.