Idiom

What Is Blackball Meaning Origin 2

What Is Blackball? – Meaning & Origin

Have you ever been blackballed? Or perhaps you’ve blackballed someone else and didn’t even realize it. Before you raise an eyebrow, no, it’s not as sinister as it sounds. In fact, it’s not even about a literal black ball. Intrigued? Let’s dive right in! Is It Black Ball or Blackball? …

Read More

Blowing a Raspberry or Bronx Cheer Origin Meaning 1

Blowing a Raspberry or Bronx Cheer – Origin & Meaning

Various phrases and terms derived from cultures and languages add a colorful flair to speech and text. The only problem is they aren’t always easily understood by those unfamiliar with the country or language in which they originated. For example, did you know that to blow a raspberry or raise …

Read More

Whipping Boy—An Idiom Beyond Punishment

Whipping Boy—An Idiom Beyond Punishment

A whipping boy refers to a person or thing that takes the blame for an action or behavior they didn’t do. The idea stems from the literal practice of physically punishing someone for another’s crimes (usually of high-born birth).  Idioms such as whipping boy are words or phrases that have …

Read More

Dead as a Doornail – Idiom Meaning and Origin 1

Dead as a Doornail – Origin and Meaning

Dead as a doornail means completely, unequivocally dead, or devoid of life or function. This idiom came into use around the 14th century and has been enlivening our conversations ever since. An idiom is a phrase or expression whose meaning cannot be understood from the ordinary meanings of its individual …

Read More

Jump the Shark – Idiom Meaning and Origin 2

Jump the Shark – Idiom, Meaning and Origin

The idiom jump the shark means that a TV show, brand, or any ongoing project has passed its peak and is now declining in quality or relevance. It’s a fairly new idiom, entering the mainstream back in the 1970s. Idioms are phrases or expressions whose meaning cannot be understood from …

Read More

2 Comments

Pig in a Poke – Meaning and Origin 2

Pig in a Poke – Meaning and Origin

Pig in a poke means buying or accepting something without first inspecting it or knowing its true value or nature. It’s like buying a mystery box. Exciting, maybe. But who knows what’s really inside? An idiom, like pig in a poke, is a phrase whose meaning isn’t directly understood from …

Read More

Take the High Road Idiom Origin Meaning 2

Take the High Road – Idiom, Origin & Meaning

As a content creator and full-time fiction author dealing with readers, industry professionals, and other authors in my community, I find myself taking the high road quite a bit. People can be so mean and petty. But what does it mean to take the high road in something? I’ll explain …

Read More

Fair Dinkum – Meaning Origin 2

Fair Dinkum – Meaning & Origin

G’day mate! Ready to take a trip down under and explore the Aussie idiom fair dinkum? It’s one of those terms that encapsulate the spirit of Australia, just as freedom might for the U.S. or tea for the Brits. So, grab a cold one, and let’s jump into the sunburnt …

Read More

Mad as a hatter

Mad as a hatter means absolutely crazy. The most famous illustration of the phrase mad as a hatter occurs in Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, with the character the Mad Hatter. In the nineteenth century, milliners or hatmakers used mercury in the processing of hats, and many succumbed to …

Read More

An Arm and a Leg Idiom Meaning Origin 2

An Arm and a Leg – Idiom, Meaning & Origin

There’s no denying that some things in life are just plain expensive, especially nowadays. For those particular pricey items or experiences, I’ve got a colorful idiom you can use that depicts a fairly jarring image. It costs an arm and a leg. But this expression has nothing to do with …

Read More