Phrase of the hour
Zig when others zag
To take an unconventional or opposite approach from the crowd, choosing a unique path for advantage or flair.
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1,085
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
Beat a dead horse
Keep pursuing, arguing or discussing something after further effort cannot change, revive or resolve it. 'Beat' is chiefly US; British English…
Meaning & originAll that glitters is not gold
Appearances can deceive, and shiny things may lack true worth.
Meaning & originDevil a bit
Not at all or not even the smallest amount, used as an emphatic Irish or dialect denial. Dated or regional and mildly irreverent. It usually precedes…
Meaning & originEat like a bird
To nibble small or light, barely eat.
Meaning & originJump the queue
To skip ahead unfairly, cutting in line.
Meaning & originBite off more than you can chew
To take on a task or responsibility that's too big or difficult to handle, often due to overconfidence or poor planning. It's a cautionary idiom, used…
Meaning & originBack to the drawing board
Back to the planning stage because a plan, design or attempt has failed and must be started again from the beginning. Applied to projects, strategies…
Meaning & originSpill the beans
Reveal secret or previously hidden information, often indiscreetly or sooner than intended.
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.