Are you looking for a way to call someone uncultured or unsophisticated? If so, you could call them a “country bumpkin.” This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression. Meaning The expression “country bumpkins” means a person with no culture or sophistication. They have crude behavior and don’t know how to conduct themselves […]
Close but No Cigar – Meaning, Origin and Usage
Are you looking for a way to tell someone that they just fell short of their target? If that’s the case, you could use the saying, “close but no cigar.” This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this saying. Meaning The meaning of the expression “close but no cigar” refers to someone narrowly missing […]
Cleanliness is Next to Godliness – Meaning, Origin and Usage
Are you looking for a way to tell someone to clean up their act and put more attention into their hygiene or general cleanliness? If so, you could use the proverbial expression, “cleanliness is next to Godliness,” to get them to think about their behavior. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this proverb. […]
Brevity is the Soul of Wit – Meaning, Origin and Usage
Did someone just crack a witty joke at work with a short, snappy punchline? If so, you could compliment them by saying, “brevity is the soul of wit.” This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression. Meaning “Brevity is the wit of the soul” means that people that use short speech provide the […]
Money is the Root of all Evil – Meaning, Origin and Usage
Did someone just tell you that money is the root of all evil? What do they mean? This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression. Meaning The expression “money is the root of all evil” means that the monetary system is responsible for all the evil in the world. It means that men […]
Without Further Ado – Meaning, Origin and Usage
Are you looking for a way to introduce a speaker to the stage? If so, you could say “without further ado” as the precursor to inviting them to take the microphone. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression. Meaning The expression “without further ado” means without making you wait anymore. It’s usually […]
The Buck Stops Here – Meaning, Origin and Usage
Are you looking for a way to tell someone that you are the final line of accountability? This post unpacks everything you need to know about the meaning and origin of the phrase, “the buck stops here.” Meaning The expression, “the buck stops here,” means that this is the point of final responsibility and accountability […]
Short Hairs – Meaning, Origin and Usage
Are you looking for a way to tell someone that you have them caught between and rock and a hard place? You could say that you have them by “the short hairs.” Let’s unpack the meaning and origin of this expression. Meaning The original meaning of the phrase was to be caught red-handed. However, this […]
Rabbit Hole – Meaning, Origin and Usage
Are you looking for a way to tell someone not to waste their time looking into finding out information they can’t control? If so, you could ask them to stop looking down the “rabbit hole.” This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this phrase. Meaning The “rabbit hole” in “Alice in Wonderland” is a […]
Now is the Winter of Our Discontent – Meaning, Origin and Usage
Are you looking for a way to tell someone that things can’t get any worse? If so, you could say that “now is “the winter of our discontent.” This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this proverbial expression. Meaning The phrase “now is the winter of our discontent” means that we are exiting the […]