Category: Idioms

Have you seen the phrase ‘straight and narrow’ somewhere and would like to know what the saying means and where it comes from? The phrase ‘straight and narrow’ is a common saying in the English language that refers to following an acceptable moral path. This post unpacks the meaning and common use of the phrase. […]

Have you seen the phrase ‘roll the dice’ somewhere and would like to know more about what the saying means, or why people say it at all? The phrase ‘roll the dice’ is a common saying in the English language that is used to refer to things of probability. Meaning The phrase ‘roll the dice’ […]

Have you seen the phrase ‘go with the flow’ somewhere on the internet or in a text and would like to know more about what the saying could mean? When someone says that it’s time to ‘go with the flow’ it means that the situation could be impossible to influence or change. This post unpacks […]

Would you like a way to say that something happened so fast you could have blinked and it was over? The phrase ‘in the blink of an eye’ is a common English saying that is usually used to imply that something happened extremely fast (or in an instant). This post unpacks the meaning and origin […]

Would you like to tell someone to be quiet or stop talking? The phrase ‘put a sock in it’ is a common figurative saying in the English language that can be used to say just that. This post unpacks the meaning, origin, and  correct use of the saying. Meaning The phrase ‘put a sock in […]

Have you seen the phrase ‘sense of humour’ somewhere and want to know more about the meaning, context, and most common use of the saying? The phrase ‘sense of humour’ is a common descriptive phrase in the English language that can be used to refer to someone’s ability to take a joke. This post unpacks […]

Would you like to point out that two people are so close to one another that it’s almost impossible to separate them? The phrase ‘joined at the hip’ is a common slang expression that can be used to say this, referring to emotional context. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of the phrase. Meaning […]

Would you like to scold someone about something you have warned them against? The phrase ‘mark my words’ is a common phrase in the English language that is often used as a different way to say ‘I told you so’. This post unpacks the meaning, origin, and correct use of the phrase. Meaning ‘Mark my […]

Have you seen the phrase ‘lies damn lies and statistics!’ somewhere online or in a text, and would like to know more about why people say it or what it means? The phrase is a reference to a British prime minister’s famous speech, though not the minister you think. This post unpacks the meaning, origin, […]

Would you like to say that someone has been fired or laid off, but would like a more informal phrase to say it with? The saying ‘get the axe’ is a common figurative saying in the English language that can refer to involuntary unemployment. This phrase unpacks the meaning, origin, and correct use of the […]