Every article on the history of English, newest first.
The phrase “chalk it up” is one that can be used in a range of different contexts. However, as an idiom, its meaning cannot be deduced from the individual words, which can lead to…
When someone has been done wrong in some way, someone might pipe up with the phrase “an eye for an eye”. This is an idiom, and the meaning of the phrase cannot be deduced from the…
You often hear the phrase “what goes around comes around”. Usually when something bad has happened to someone. If you want to know what that means and where the saying comes from,…
You may have heard the phrase “hand over fist” being spoken, usually in a business or sales context. If you’ve ever wondered what it means, you’ve come to just the place because we…
Ever been at work and someone says they want to pick someone’s brains? This article is going to spell out what they mean by that, and go into how the phrase may have originated. It…
Ever heard the phrase “gird your loins” and wondered what on earth it means? Yes? Then you’ve come to just the place. In this article, I will explain what is meant by the phrase “g…
Ever asked for directions only to be told “as the crow flies” and been totally stumped? Don’t worry – this article is going to break it all down. We’ll cover the meaning and the or…
Have you ever heard the phrase “heart of gold”? I wouldn’t be surprised if you have! In this article, I’ll be breaking down the meaning and the origin of the term before going onto…
Have you ever been greeted with “wagwan” and been clueless as to what it means? If so, then this is the article for you. Here we will break down what it means and how the greeting…
“When it rains, it pours” is a particularly well-known saying in the UK (where it often rains), and the phrase can even be considered a cliche. However, the phrase is not always us…
The phrase “the one that got away” is a common one in English parlance, coming up in conversations and various forms of entertainment. If you’re wondering what the phrase means and…
The phrase “let him cook”, like “let her cook” and “let them cook”, seems to pop up again and again in recent years, especially online. However, the phrase is an idiom and as such…