Phrase of the hour
Like a kid in a candy store
Thrilled or wild with glee, all eyes.
Uncover the storyA curious dictionary of everyday English
Discover what peculiar British and American expressions mean, where they came from, and how people actually use them.
Phrase of the hour
Thrilled or wild with glee, all eyes.
Uncover the storyStart with a letter
Pulled from the drawers
Cause an unpleasant physical sensation in the teeth or make someone acutely irritated or uncomfortable. It can describe either a literal dental…
Meaning & originTo reach a conspicuous moment when a television series or other long-running enterprise is perceived to sacrifice credibility or quality for a…
Meaning & originMany small amounts or efforts, accumulated patiently, eventually make a substantial whole. The title preserves the historically meaningful form. 'Many…
Meaning & originTo sit in the front passenger seat of a vehicle. It can also mean accompanying, assisting, supervising, or protecting someone or something.
Meaning & originTo startle or thrill hugely, leaping from shock.
Meaning & originNot 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 & originDeep in a mess or load, swamped.
Meaning & originA single sudden action that affects or disposes of everything concerned. Fell is an archaic adjective meaning fierce or deadly. 'One foul swoop' and…
Meaning & originLanguage has legends. Evidence matters.
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.