Phrase of the hour
Which came first, the chicken or the egg
The classic causality dilemma: when two things each appear to depend on the other, which one produced the first? Used rhetorically of any circular or…
Uncover the storyA curious dictionary of everyday English
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Discover what peculiar British and American expressions mean, where they came from, and how people actually use them.
1,901
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
For love or money
Under any circumstances or by any inducement, most often used after a negative. Usually appears in a negative clause. Outside that construction it may…
Meaning & originA snake in the grass
A treacherous or deceitful person who poses as friendly, or whose hostility stays hidden; by extension, a danger that looks harmless until it strikes…
Meaning & originSweet tooth
A strong liking or weakness for sugary foods and drinks. Someone with a sweet tooth craves sweets, chocolate, and desserts, and the phrase can also…
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 & originMore haste, less speed
Rushing a task often delays success by causing mistakes or wasted effort. Usually offered as practical advice. The apparent paradox is clearer when…
Meaning & originPut the wind up
To spook or rattle someone, all nerves.
Meaning & originGreenwashing
Misleading marketing or public relations that makes a company, product, or policy seem more environmentally friendly than it really is, typically…
Meaning & originKibosh
Found almost only in the phrase 'put the kibosh on': to bring something abruptly and decisively to an end, whether plans, hopes, or a scheme. The noun…
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.