Explore the meaning, etymology, and cultural significance of the phrase 'bide one’s time'—a timeless expression denoting patience and strategic waiting.
Explore the origins, semantic nuances, and cultural relevance of the cliché 'big as a house,' a phrase often used to describe physical largeness in an unflattering manner.
Explore the meaning, etymology, and cultural relevance of the phrase 'big deal,' including its usage in different contexts and its enduring impact on language.
Explore the meaning, etymology, and cultural relevance of the cliché 'birds of a feather,' a phrase denoting individuals with similar characteristics or interests.
Explore the origins, meaning, and cultural significance of the phrase 'bite the dust,' tracing its etymology from classical literature to contemporary usage.
Explore the origins, historical context, and contemporary usage of the phrase 'fight to the bitter end,' a nautical term denoting perseverance to the last extremity.
Explore the origins, semantic nuances, and cultural significance of the phrase 'black as night/pitch/the ace of spades' in this comprehensive dictionary entry.
Explore the phrase 'black book, (put) in one’s'—its origins, historical context, and contemporary relevance. Delve into its transformation from a symbol of disgrace to a modern-day personal address book.
Explore the origins, historical context, and contemporary relevance of the phrase 'bleed someone white,' a term signifying financial extortion or depletion.
Discover the origins, cultural significance, and contemporary relevance of the phrase 'blessed event,' a sentimental cliché referring to the birth of a baby.
Explore the origins, meanings, and cultural significance of the cliché 'blind as a bat/beetle/mole.' Discover its historical context, semantic nuances, and contemporary relevance.
Explore the origins, historical context, and contemporary relevance of the phrase 'blood, sweat, and tears,' famously associated with Winston Churchill and its usage in literature and culture.
Explore the origins, meanings, and cultural impact of the phrase 'blow away,' from its Vietnam War roots to its contemporary usage in expressing surprise and admiration.
Explore the origins, semantic nuances, and cultural significance of the phrase 'blow hot and cold.' Discover its historical roots in Aesop's fable and its implications in contemporary language.
Explore the origins, semantic nuances, and cultural significance of the phrase 'blow one’s top/stack/fuse,' a colloquial expression denoting a loss of temper.
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.