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, meaning, and cultural significance of the phrase 'draw a veil over, to,' including its historical context and contemporary relevance.
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 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.
Explore the origins, meaning, and cultural significance of 'the evil eye,' a superstition believed to inflict harm with a glance, and its evolution in modern contexts.
Explore the meaning, origin, and contemporary relevance of the phrase 'the exception proves the rule,' a proverb with roots in the 1500s and enduring usage in modern language.
Explore the origins, semantic nuances, and contemporary relevance of the phrase 'farm out,' a term denoting the assignment of tasks to external parties.
Explore the origins, meaning, and cultural significance of the phrase 'fiddle while Rome burns,' a metaphor for neglecting important issues during a crisis.
Explore the historical origins, semantic nuances, and cultural significance of the phrase 'fortunes of war,' tracing its evolution from ancient battlefields to modern contexts.
Explore the origins, meanings, and cultural significance of the phrase 'hell to pay, there'll be.' Learn about its historical context, semantic nuances, and contemporary relevance.
Explore the meaning, origin, and usage of the phrase 'hoist with one’s own petard,' a Shakespearean expression denoting being caught in one's own trap.
Discover the origins, semantic nuances, and cultural relevance of the phrase 'in the saddle,' a cliché denoting authority and leadership, with historical roots tracing back to the seventeenth century.
Explore the phrase 'keep the wolf from the door,' its origins, semantic nuances, cultural relevance, and contemporary usage in language and literature.
Explore the origins, meaning, and cultural significance of the phrase 'keep your powder dry,' from its historical roots in 17th-century military strategy to its modern-day applications.
Explore the origins, historical context, and cultural significance of the phrase 'The King is Dead, Long Live the King,' tracing its journey from French royal proclamations to modern idiomatic usage.
Explore the origins, meaning, and cultural significance of the phrase 'to do one's level best,' a term rooted in 19th-century Americanism and widely used to express utmost effort.
Explore the origins, semantic nuances, and cultural significance of the phrase 'like it or lump it,' tracing its historical roots and contemporary relevance.
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.