Phrase of the hour
Like a lamb to the slaughter
Without resistance or awareness, into danger, defeat, or an unpleasant situation. Usually ominous and sometimes melodramatic. Lambs to the slaughter…
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Plain-English meanings.
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Give'r
Put in maximum effort, go hard, or proceed with full enthusiasm. Current, informal, and energetic Regional use: Canada, especially Western Canada and…
Meaning & originGolden calf
Any idol of wealth or power worshipped in place of what actually matters - money as an end in itself, or a symbol mistaken for the thing it…
Meaning & originCatch flak
To receive heavy criticism, hostility or opposition, especially from the public, the press or one's peers. The metaphor treats criticism as…
Meaning & originHelicopter parent
A parent who hovers over a child's everyday life with excessive supervision and intervention, managing schoolwork, conflicts, and even adult…
Meaning & originCurtain-raiser
Literally, a short opening performance staged before the main play; figuratively, any minor event, match or announcement that serves as a preliminary…
Meaning & originWhoop it up
Celebrate or enjoy oneself loudly and energetically, or stir up noisy enthusiasm for a person, event, or cause. Informal. The phrase can describe…
Meaning & originTake it with a grain of salt
Treat a statement cautiously rather than accepting it as wholly accurate, complete or sincere. 'A grain of salt' is the usual North American wording…
Meaning & originChauvinism
Excessive, blind devotion to one's own country, group, or cause, or a conviction that one's own group is inherently superior. The oldest sense is…
Meaning & origin
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