Phrase of the hour
Take the gilt off the gingerbread
To strip the shine or fun, dull it.
Uncover the storyA curious dictionary of everyday English
Every odd phrase has
a story to tell.
Discover what peculiar British and American expressions mean, where they came from, and how people actually use them.
725
curious expressions
409
source-backed entries
855
research references
Plain-English meanings.
Folklore labelled honestly.
Folklore labelled honestly.
Start with a letter
Browse the cabinet
Pulled from the drawers
A few curious finds
Salt of the earth
A genuinely good, honest person, solid and humble.
Meaning & originEvery man for himself
A scramble where each fights alone, no help given.
Meaning & originEvery trick in the book
Using all known tactics or ploys, pulling every move.
Meaning & originHit the nail on the head
To describe or address something with perfect accuracy, pinpointing the truth or solution without error or excess. It evokes a carpenter's precise…
Meaning & originKeep your eyes peeled
To stay sharply alert or watchful, scanning for signs.
Meaning & originEat out of house and home
To gobble all the food or drain a place.
Meaning & originAll Lombard Street to a China orange
Overwhelming odds in favour of one outcome; a near certainty. A colourful but obscure betting metaphor. It may be used for odds either stated…
Meaning & originNo skin off my nose
No harm, inconvenience, or important loss to me; therefore not something I mind. Informal and sometimes dismissive. It expresses personal indifference…
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.