Explore the meaning, origins, and cultural significance of the phrase 'dog in the manger,' derived from Aesop's fables and its usage in literature and social discourse.
Explore the meaning, origins, and cultural significance of the phrase 'not a dog's chance,' a colloquial expression denoting extremely slim odds or chances.
Explore the origins, semantic nuances, and cultural relevance of the phrase 'Don't Ask.' Delve into its historical context and contemporary usage in social discourse.
Explore the origins, historical context, and contemporary relevance of the phrase 'don't change horses in midstream,' famously popularized by President Lincoln.
Explore the origins, meaning, and cultural significance of the phrase 'Don't Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch,' tracing its roots back to Aesop's fables and its enduring relevance in modern language.
Explore the meaning, history, and cultural significance of the cliché 'don't cry over spilled milk,' along with its semantic nuances and contemporary relevance.
Explore the origins, historical context, and contemporary relevance of the phrase 'don't give/care a rap for,' denoting something worthless or uninteresting.
Explore the meaning, origins, and cultural significance of the phrase 'Don't Hold Your Breath.' Discover its etymology, semantic nuances, and contemporary relevance.
Explore the meaning, etymology, and cultural significance of the phrase 'don't look a gift horse in the mouth,' a timeless expression urging acceptance of gifts in good faith.
Explore the origins, meaning, and cultural significance of the American phrase 'don't take any wooden nickels,' a cautionary expression against fraud and deception.
Explore the origins, meanings, and cultural significance of the phrase 'Don’t Let the Grass Grow Under Your Feet,' including its etymology, usage, and contemporary relevance.
Explore the meaning, etymology, and cultural significance of the term 'doohickey,' a colloquial placeholder for an object whose name is unknown or forgotten.
Explore the origins, semantic nuances, and cultural relevance of the cliché 'doom and gloom,' including its synonyms, usage examples, and contemporary significance.
Explore the origins, meanings, and cultural implications of the phrase 'dose of one’s own medicine.' Delve into its etymology, semantic nuances, and contemporary relevance.
Explore the origins, meanings, and cultural significance of the phrase 'dot the i’s and cross the t’s,' emphasizing precision and meticulousness in language and beyond.
Explore the meaning, origins, and cultural significance of the phrase 'double-barreled,' its dual-purpose implications, and its historical roots in firearm technology.
Explore the meaning, etymology, and cultural significance of the phrase 'double-edged sword,' a term that denotes a situation or statement with both positive and negative consequences.
Discover the origins, historical context, and cultural significance of the phrase 'doubting Thomas,' a term rooted in biblical narrative and widely used to describe skeptical individuals.
Explore the origins, meaning, and cultural significance of the phrase 'down and out,' tracing its roots from boxing to literature and its enduring relevance in describing destitution.
Explore the origins, historical context, and cultural significance of the phrase 'down in the dumps, to be,' a common expression denoting sadness or dispiritedness.
Explore the origins, meanings, and cultural significance of the phrase 'down in the mouth,' a term denoting sadness or unhappiness, with historical roots in the seventeenth century.
Explore the origins, semantic nuances, and cultural significance of the phrase 'down the hatch,' a popular toast among drinkers with roots in naval terminology.
Explore the origins, meanings, and contemporary usage of the phrase 'down to the wire,' a term rooted in horse racing and now widely used in various contexts.
Explore the origins, historical context, and cultural significance of the term 'dragon lady,' a phrase depicting a fierce and formidable woman, originating from a 1930s comic strip.
Explore the origins, historical context, and contemporary usage of the phrase 'draw a bead on (someone), to,' a metaphorical expression rooted in 19th-century American firearm terminology.
Explore the origins, semantic nuances, and cultural significance of the phrase 'draw a blank, to'. Delve into its etymology, historical context, and contemporary relevance.
Explore the origins, meaning, and cultural significance of the phrase 'draw a veil over, to,' including its historical context and contemporary relevance.
Explore the origins, meanings, and cultural significance of the phrase 'draw/pull in one's horns,' a cliché rooted in historical and zoological contexts.
Explore the origins, semantic nuances, and cultural significance of the phrase 'dream team,' a term denoting an outstanding combination of individuals or factors promising success.
Explore the origins, meanings, and cultural significance of the phrases 'dressed to kill' and 'dressed to the nines,' highlighting their historical context and contemporary relevance.
Explore the phrase 'dribs and drabs,' its etymology, semantic nuances, cultural usage, and contemporary relevance in this comprehensive dictionary entry.
Explore the origins, meanings, and cultural significance of the phrase 'drink like a fish,' a metaphor for heavy drinking, particularly of alcoholic beverages.
Explore the origins, meanings, and cultural significance of the phrase 'drive someone to drink,' a metaphorical expression denoting extreme annoyance or frustration.
Explore the origins, meanings, and cultural significance of the phrase 'drive someone up the wall,' a common expression denoting extreme irritation or exasperation.
Explore the origins, semantic nuances, and cultural significance of the phrase 'drive a hard bargain,' tracing its historical roots and contemporary relevance.
Explore the meaning, history, and cultural significance of the phrase 'drop a bombshell,' a metaphorical expression denoting the announcement of sensational news.
Explore the etymology, semantic nuances, and cultural relevance of the phrase 'drop dead,' from its origins as a rude imperative to its modern positive connotations.
Explore the origins, meanings, and cultural significance of the phrase 'drop like a hot potato.' Delve into its historical context, semantic nuances, and contemporary relevance.
Explore the origins, meanings, and cultural significance of the phrase 'drop-dead gorgeous,' a term denoting extreme beauty, often used to describe women.
Explore the meaning, origins, and cultural significance of the phrase 'drum (something) into one’s head,' a metaphor for persistent repetition used since the 19th century.
Discover the historical roots, semantic nuances, and cultural significance of the phrase 'drum up,' a term widely used in business and social contexts since the 1600s.
Explore the origins, semantic nuances, and cultural relevance of the phrase 'drunk as a lord/skunk.' Discover its historical context and continued usage in contemporary language.
Explore the etymology, semantic nuances, and cultural significance of the cliché 'dry as dust,' tracing its evolution from the 1500s to contemporary usage.
Explore the origins, meaning, and contemporary relevance of the phrase 'dry run,' a term denoting a rehearsal or trial exercise. Discover its historical roots and usage across various contexts.
Explore the origins, meaning, and cultural significance of the phrase 'duck soup, like,' a colloquial expression denoting simplicity and ease, popularized by the Marx Brothers.
Explore the origins, semantic nuances, and cultural relevance of the cliché 'dull as dishwater,' tracing its evolution from 'ditchwater' and its enduring presence in language.
Explore the origins, semantic nuances, and cultural significance of the phrase 'dumb down, to.' Delve into its historical context and contemporary relevance.
Explore the origins, meaning, and cultural significance of the phrase 'Dutch Treat,' a term denoting shared expenses in social settings. Delve into its historical context and contemporary relevance.
Explore the meaning, origins, and cultural significance of the phrase 'dyed in the wool,' a term denoting thoroughness and genuineness. Delve into its etymology, semantic nuances, and contemporary relevance.
Explore the meaning, origins, and cultural significance of the phrase 'to one's dying day,' a timeless expression denoting lifelong commitment or memory.
Explore the meaning, etymology, and cultural significance of the phrase 'eager beaver,' a term describing overzealous or ambitious individuals, with historical roots and contemporary relevance.
Discover the origins, semantic nuances, and cultural significance of the phrase 'eagle-eyed,' denoting keen-sightedness both literally and figuratively.
Explore the origins, meaning, and cultural significance of the phrase 'the early bird catches the worm,' a timeless adage emphasizing the value of promptness and early action.
Explore the origins, meanings, and cultural significance of the phrase 'easier said than done,' a timeless cliché that highlights the disparity between speaking and doing.
Explore the origins, meaning, and cultural significance of the phrase 'easy as rolling off a log,' tracing its historical roots and contemporary relevance.
Explore the origins, historical context, and contemporary usage of the phrase 'easy come, easy go,' a timeless adage reflecting the transient nature of easily gained wealth or success.
Explore the origins, meanings, and cultural significance of the phrase 'eat crow/humble pie/dirt,' a popular expression for acknowledging errors and humiliation.
Explore the origins, meanings, and cultural significance of the phrases 'eat like a bird' and 'eat like a horse,' including their historical context and contemporary relevance.
Discover the origins, semantic nuances, and cultural significance of the phrase 'eat one's hat,' a classic cliché expressing disbelief or confidence in an unlikely event.
Explore the meaning, etymology, and cultural significance of the phrase 'eat one’s words,' a common expression denoting the retraction of a statement in a humiliating manner.
Explore the origins, semantic nuances, and cultural significance of the phrase 'eat someone out of house and home,' a timeless expression with deep historical roots.
Explore the origins, meanings, and cultural significance of the American slang expression 'egg in your beer, what do you want?' popularized during World War II.
Explore the origins, meanings, and cultural significance of the phrase 'egg on one’s face,' a mid-twentieth-century Americanism symbolizing embarrassment or foolishness.
Explore the phrase 'ego trip,' its definition, etymology, semantic nuances, and cultural relevance. Discover its usage in literature and social discourse.
Explore the meaning, origins, and cultural significance of the phrase 'eighth wonder,' often used to describe astonishing events or things, sometimes with a hint of sarcasm.
Explore the meaning, etymology, and cultural significance of the phrase 'elbow room,' a metaphor for having enough space, with historical roots dating back to the sixteenth century.
The largest and most comprehensive resource of its kind, The Dictionary of Clichés features thousands of unique clichés, idioms, jargon, slang, euphemisms, and metaphors, alongside common expressions.