Did your friend tell you they’re in trouble for something at school? You could tell them to “admit nothing, deny everything” when questioned about their transgression. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression. Meaning The expression “admit nothing, deny everything” is the shorter form of “admit nothing, deny everything, and make counter-accusations.” […]

Are you looking for a way to tell someone you understand what they’re referring to in their statement? You could use “a wink is as good as a nod.” This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression. Meaning The expression “a nod is as good as a wink” suggests that a person ready […]

Are you admiring your clean room? You could say, “a place for everything and everything in its place.” This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression. Meaning The expression “a place for everything and everything in its place” means everything in your room, home, or office has a specific storage place. You should […]

Is your friend thinking about investing his meager savings into NFTs, hoping to make a profit? You could warn him that “a feather in the hand is better than a bird in the air.” Learn more about this idiom and its meaning in this post. Meaning The English idiom “a feather in the hand is […]

The phrase ‘a man’s home is his castle’ is a common saying in the English language, but it can still confuse anyone who has not heard it before. The phrase is less common in some parts, and more common in others. This post unpacks the meaning, origin, and correct use of the saying. Meaning ‘A […]

Would you like to say that someone has made up, or that they have ‘buried the axe’ and put a long or short disagreement to rest? The phrase ‘kissing and making up’ is a common English phrase that can be used to say or imply just this. This post unpacks the meaning, origin, and the […]

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 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 […]

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 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 […]