Phrase of the hour
Dine with Duke Humphrey
Go without dinner, especially while pretending or hoping to dine. Archaic. It refers to missing a meal, not to eating grandly with a nobleman…
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725
curious expressions
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source-backed entries
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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
Kick the habit
To quit a bad routine or vice, shaking it off.
Meaning & originLoose cannon
An unpredictable or reckless person, liable to cause havoc.
Meaning & originScarce as hen's teeth
Extremely rare or effectively nonexistent, like teeth in an adult hen, which has a beak rather than visible teeth. Informal and emphatic. Because the…
Meaning & originKeep your pants on
Hold off or chill, no haste.
Meaning & originHammer and tongs
With great energy, force or aggression, as in working, arguing or attacking without restraint. Usually modifies a vigorous activity and often follows…
Meaning & originPut paid to
To end or kill off.
Meaning & originOn the Q.T.
Done quiet or secret, hush-hush.
Meaning & originBlow the cobwebs away
To shake off rust or gloom, freshen up.
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.