Category: Phrases

Can you “account for” everything you brought with you to the office today? Can you account for the money you took from the petty cash yesterday at work? This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression. Meaning To “account for” something means that you are aware of it and can confirm that you […]

Are you looking for a different way to tell your kids to head up the stairs to bed? If so, you could say to them to get up the “apples and pears.” This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this cockney saying. Meaning The “apples and pears” is cockney rhyming slang for “stairs.” When […]

Are you looking for a way to teach your kids about sex? The classic idiom, “The birds and the bees,” is a great way to introduce them to a topic, with parents using it for the last century to teach their kids about sex. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression. Meaning […]

Are you looking for a way to quit smoking? You could always try the method of going “cold turkey.” This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression. Meaning The expression “cold turkey” means to stop something abruptly, without any support. The phrase usually applies to substance abuse cases. A person may be addicted […]

Are you looking at a Tik Tok video of a gamer girl saying the word “ara ara?” It probably looks like she’s having a good time while saying it, but what does the expression mean? This post unpacks everything you need to know about the meaning and origin of this popular internet meme. Meaning “Ara […]

Are you looking for a short retort to someone that’s teasing you? You can use “bite me” to let them know that they should stay away from you. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression. Meaning The expression “bite me” is the shorter version of “bite me in the ass.” Since many […]

Are you looking for a word to express the beauty in life? You could use the Italian term “Bellissimo” to share your appreciation of beauty in anything in life. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression. Meaning The expression “Bellissimo” means to appreciate the beauty in life. There are many ways you […]

Are you looking for a way to tell someone not to jinx you or curse you? Maybe someone’s giving you a bad vibe, or they have such bad luck that you don’t want anything to do with them? If that’s the case, you could say you want nothing to do with their “bad juju.” This […]

Are you looking for a reactionary statement to let people know that you’re in agreement with them? You could use the phrase “cool beans” to show you understand what they’re saying, and you have no problem with the idea. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression. Meaning The expression “cool beans” is […]

Are you going through a hard time in life where nothing seems to go right for you, no matter how hard you try? You could say, “I can’t win for losing,” to voice your despair at your run of bad luck. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression. Meaning The expression “can’t […]