Phrase-A-Week is a free service to e-mail you an explanation of the origin of a commonly-used English phrase each week.
We research the origins of phrases continuously and publish them in our idioms and phrases section. Here's the archive of posts:
A cock and bull story Now is the winter of our discontent Saved by the bell Below the salt Local derby A load of codswallop Pipe dream Left in the lurch The darling buds of May Take the Mickey As pleased as Punch Hobson's choice Back to square one Willy-nilly Up the duff Turn a blind eye In the offing As good as gold The exception that proves the rule Heavy metal Rule of thumb With bated breath Over the moon Scot free At one fell swoop The bitter end Beat a hasty retreat Beyond the pale Hoist by your own petard Minced oaths Sleep tight From sea to shining sea Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey Christmas card sayings and phrases Baker's dozen Flavor of the month The floozie in the jacuzzi As keen as mustard Daylight robbery Between the Devil and the deep blue sea Cop an attitude You are what you eat Be afraid, be very afraid Push the envelope Just deserts Laughing-stock Whipping boy High, wide and handsome A moveable feast Speak of the devil If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen Break a leg Lame duck So sue me The bee's knees Nine days' wonder Never-never land Paint the town red Lock, stock and barrel Dead ringer The whole nine yards Ship-shape and Bristol fashion Head over heels Whet your appetite Shake a leg Taken aback Shanks' mare Go berserk Heard it through the grapevine Eat humble pie Thumbs up Helter-skelter Flotsam and jetsam Knuckle down Draw a blank Chock-a-block Trick or treat Come up trumps On your tod Kick the bucket Steal one's thunder As mad as a hatter Jot or tittle Tinker's damn Merry Christmas Point to point Port out, starboard home - POSH Beck and call Read the riot act Run amok Full tilt Know your onions Stool pigeon Spruce-up Short shrift Spitting image True blue Tell it to the marines Tuckered out A sledgehammer to crack a nut Blue-plate special Wild goose chase Aid and abet Heavens to Murgatroyd In the doldrums By and large Skid row On the wagon Play ducks and drakes Get underway Curiosity killed the cat Take umbrage Rack and ruin Coin a phrase To a T Curry favour A flash in the pan Run the gauntlet Prime time The whole shebang Barking mad Top dog Toe the line In the pink On the warpath Three sheets to the wind The living daylights Keep the ball rolling Red herring Grass up On cloud nine Spelling bee Get down to brass tacks Cooking the books Boxing Day Go off half-cocked Parting shot Ups-a-daisy Best bib and tucker I haven't got a clue The devil to pay Acronyms Raining cats and dogs Round Robin Strait and narrow Through thick and thin Guinea pig Chaise lounge Point blank Silver bullet Blown to smithereens Bale out/bail out Bandy words Donkey's years Let the cat out of the bag Die-hard Ne'er cast a clout till May be out Toodle-oo Think outside the box With bells on Chop-chop Fight fire with fire A cock and bull story Bats in the belfry Warts and all As easy as pie In a cleft stick Come a cropper Chip on your shoulder As happy as... Tide over Crop up Have an inkling Hedge your bets An Englishman's home is his castle In limbo Jump pn the bandwagon Graveyard shift Dressed to the nines Worth one's salt A piece of the action Make no bones about it Harbinger of doom Double cross Without let or hindrance At loggerheads Derring-do Wax poetic
Copyright © Gary Martin, 1996 - 2009
