Phrase of the hour
Make 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…
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.
725
curious expressions
409
source-backed entries
855
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
Eat out of house and home
To gobble all the food or drain a place.
Meaning & originWhen in Rome
To adapt to local customs or ways, blending in.
Meaning & originA labour of love
Work undertaken chiefly from affection, commitment or enjoyment rather than for reward. Labour is British spelling and labor American. The work can be…
Meaning & originDon't teach your grandmother to suck eggs
Don't tell an expert what they know, it's daft.
Meaning & originCold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey
Extremely cold. The headphrase contains a vulgar anatomical joke. 'Brass monkey weather' is the neutral alternative. Regional use: United Kingdom and…
Meaning & originAid and abet
To help, encourage or facilitate another person's wrongdoing, especially the commission of a crime. Strongly associated with criminal law, although it…
Meaning & originA drop in the bucket
A tiny part of a big whole, barely a dent.
Meaning & originHold the fort
To keep things steady or safe in someone's absence, standing guard.
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.