All Answers

• What does ‘don't cry over spilt milk’ mean?

  To “don't cry over spilt milk” means to don't lament what can't be undone. Brewer's records this as an old English proverb, familiar from the 17th century.

• What does ‘you can't teach an old dog new tricks’ mean?

  To “you can't teach an old dog new tricks” means to habits set in old age are hard to change. Brewer's records this as an English proverb, in print by the 16th century.

• What does ‘necessity is the mother of invention’ mean?

  To “necessity is the mother of invention” means to need drives creativity. The saying appears in various forms in classical writers; Brewer's includes it among the classical maxims familiar in English.

• What does ‘he who laughs last laughs best’ mean?

  To “he who laughs last laughs best” means to the final winner is the true winner. Brewer's records the proverb in various European forms.

• What does ‘look before you leap’ mean?

  To “look before you leap” means to think carefully before you act. Brewer's records this as a familiar English proverb, in print by the 14th century.

• What does ‘haste makes waste’ mean?

  To “haste makes waste” means to rushing produces mistakes. Brewer's records this as an old English proverb.

• What does ‘a friend in need is a friend indeed’ mean?

  To “a friend in need is a friend indeed” means to true friends are those who help in hard times. Brewer's lists this as a familiar English proverb, current from at least the 11th century in older forms.

• What does ‘out of sight, out of mind’ mean?

  To “out of sight, out of mind” means to things unseen are easily forgotten. Brewer's records this as an old English proverb, in print by the 13th century.

• What does ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ mean?

  To “absence makes the heart grow fonder” means to time apart increases affection. The phrase became widely known through T. H. Bayly's 1844 poem, though similar sentiments appear earlier.

• What does ‘too many cooks spoil the broth’ mean?

  To “too many cooks spoil the broth” means to too many people working on the same task will ruin it. Brewer's lists this as a familiar English proverb, in print by the 16th century.

• What does ‘many hands make light work’ mean?

  To “many hands make light work” means to large groups can finish tasks quickly. Brewer's records this as a classic English proverb, in print by the 14th century.

• What does ‘all that glitters is not gold’ mean?

  To “all that glitters is not gold” means to appearances can deceive. Brewer's records the phrase from Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice (II.vii); the sentiment is older, appearing in Chaucer.

• What does ‘when in Rome, do as the Romans do’ mean?

  To “when in Rome, do as the Romans do” means to adapt to local customs when you visit. Brewer's traces the saying to St. Ambrose's advice to St. Augustine in the 4th century.

• What does ‘the grass is always greener on the other side’ mean?

  To “the grass is always greener on the other side” means to other people's situations always look better. A modern English proverb, in current form 20th-century; the sentiment is old.

• What does ‘two wrongs don't make a right’ mean?

  To “two wrongs don't make a right” means to responding to wrongdoing with wrongdoing is not justified. Brewer's lists this among the classic English proverbs of ethics.

• What does ‘practice makes perfect’ mean?

  To “practice makes perfect” means to repeated effort produces skill. Brewer's records this as an old English proverb.

• What does ‘don't judge a book by its cover’ mean?

  To “don't judge a book by its cover” means to don't judge by appearances. A 20th-century English proverb, not in Brewer's 1898.

• What does ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ mean?

  To “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” means to judgments of beauty are subjective. The modern form is 19th-century (Margaret Wolfe Hungerford, 1878); the underlying sentiment is much older and appears in classical writers.

• What does ‘beggars can't be choosers’ mean?

  To “beggars can't be choosers” means to people in need must accept what is offered. Brewer's records this as a familiar English proverb, in print by the 16th century (John Heywood, 1546).

• What does ‘the road to hell is paved with good intentions’ mean?

  To “the road to hell is paved with good intentions” means to good intentions alone don't produce good outcomes. Brewer's records this as an old European proverb, echoed in Samuel Johnson's writings and traceable back through medieval Latin.

• What does ‘bury the hatchet’ mean?

  To “bury the hatchet” means to end a quarrel and make peace. Brewer's traces the phrase to the Native American custom of literally burying weapons of war as a symbolic pledge of peace.

• What does ‘kick the bucket’ mean?

  To “kick the bucket” means to die. Brewer's discusses two folk explanations: one from the beam ('bucket', in an old English sense) on which a slaughtered pig was hung, whose feet would kick, and another involving a person standing on a bucket before hanging themselves. Neither is proven, and the origin is best treated as uncertain.

• What does ‘strike while the iron is hot’ mean?

  To “strike while the iron is hot” means to act promptly while the opportunity lasts. Brewer's records the proverb, drawn from the blacksmith's craft, from at least Chaucer's time in the 14th century.

• What does ‘hit the nail on the head’ mean?

  To “hit the nail on the head” means to identify a point exactly. Brewer's records this as an old English proverb, in print by the 16th century.

• What does ‘when the going gets tough, the tough get going’ mean?

  To “when the going gets tough, the tough get going” means to adversity brings out the strongest. A 20th-century saying often attributed to Joseph P. Kennedy Sr.; not in Brewer's 1898.

• What does ‘blood is thicker than water’ mean?

  To “blood is thicker than water” means to family ties outweigh other loyalties. Brewer's records the proverb in traditional English form; the popular claim that the original was longer and meant the opposite is not supported by earlier evidence.

• What does ‘the pen is mightier than the sword’ mean?

  To “the pen is mightier than the sword” means to persuasion and writing outweigh force. Brewer's attributes the modern phrasing to Edward Bulwer-Lytton's play Richelieu (1839).

• What does ‘actions speak louder than words’ mean?

  To “actions speak louder than words” means to behaviour reveals intent more truly than speech does. The proverb is recorded in English by the 17th century in various forms; Brewer's includes it in the classic proverb stock.

• What does ‘a stitch in time saves nine’ mean?

  To “a stitch in time saves nine” means to a small early fix prevents bigger later problems. Brewer's lists this among the classic English proverbs of thrift and prudence, recorded from the 18th century.

• What does ‘every dog has its day’ mean?

  To “every dog has its day” means to everyone eventually gets a chance at success. Brewer's records the proverb from at least the 16th century; a version appears in Shakespeare's Hamlet (V.i).

• What does ‘don't put all your eggs in one basket’ mean?

  To “don't put all your eggs in one basket” means to don't risk everything on a single venture. Brewer's records this as a familiar English proverb; a variant appears in Cervantes' Don Quixote (1605).

• What does ‘fortune favours the bold’ mean?

  To “fortune favours the bold” means to luck sides with those who take initiative. Brewer's traces the maxim to the Latin 'audentes fortuna iuvat' in Virgil's Aeneid (X.284).

• What does ‘back to the drawing board’ mean?

  To “back to the drawing board” means to start over from the beginning. A 20th-century idiom, popularised by a 1941 New Yorker cartoon; not in Brewer's 1898.

• What does ‘throw in the towel’ mean?

  To “throw in the towel” means to give up; concede. Brewer's-era boxing gave us this idiom, in which a seconds' towel thrown into the ring conceded defeat for the boxer.

• What does ‘move the goalposts’ mean?

  To “move the goalposts” means to unfairly change the criteria mid-process. A late 20th-century idiom from football; not in Brewer's 1898.

• What does ‘the ball is in your court’ mean?

  To “the ball is in your court” means to it is now your turn to act. A 20th-century idiom from tennis; not in Brewer's 1898.

• What does ‘a shot in the dark’ mean?

  To “a shot in the dark” means to a wild guess. A modern English idiom; the image is of firing without seeing the target.

• What does ‘get down to brass tacks’ mean?

  To “get down to brass tacks” means to get to the essential facts. A 19th-century American idiom of uncertain origin; not in Brewer's 1898.

• What does ‘learn the ropes’ mean?

  To “learn the ropes” means to learn how a job or system works. Brewer's records this as originally a nautical idiom, describing an apprentice sailor learning the many ropes of a sailing ship's rigging.

• What does ‘cut corners’ mean?

  To “cut corners” means to do something quickly and cheaply, at the cost of quality. A 19th-century idiom drawn from the practice of taking a short route by cutting a corner; the pejorative sense followed.

• What does ‘put your money where your mouth is’ mean?

  To “put your money where your mouth is” means to back your words with real commitment. A modern American idiom, mid-20th-century; not in Brewer's 1898.

• What does ‘a penny saved is a penny earned’ mean?

  To “a penny saved is a penny earned” means to frugality is a form of income. Attributed to Benjamin Franklin, though the sentiment is older in English proverbial literature. Brewer's records related maxims of thrift.

• What does ‘money doesn't grow on trees’ mean?

  To “money doesn't grow on trees” means to money isn't easy to come by. A modern English proverb, not in Brewer's 1898 in this exact form.

• What does ‘time is money’ mean?

  To “time is money” means to time is a valuable resource; don't waste it. The maxim is popularly associated with Benjamin Franklin's Advice to a Young Tradesman (1748); Brewer's notes Franklin's phrase.

• What does ‘a penny for your thoughts’ mean?

  To “a penny for your thoughts” means to asking someone what they are thinking. Brewer's records this as an old English proverb, familiar from at least the 16th century.

• What does ‘penny wise and pound foolish’ mean?

  To “penny wise and pound foolish” means to cautious with small sums but wasteful of large ones. Brewer's records this as a long-standing English proverb, familiar since at least the 17th century.

• What does ‘cost a pretty penny’ mean?

  To “cost a pretty penny” means to be expensive. An 18th-century English idiom; 'pretty' here is an old sense meaning 'considerable'. Brewer's records this older meaning of 'pretty'.

• What does ‘burn the candle at both ends’ mean?

  To “burn the candle at both ends” means to exhaust yourself by doing too much. A very old English proverb; Brewer's records the image, and Edna St. Vincent Millay's 1920 poem popularised it in the modern sense.

• What does ‘burn the midnight oil’ mean?

  To “burn the midnight oil” means to work late into the night. The phrase appears in English from at least the 17th century; Brewer's records it as a long-standing idiom for late-night study by lamplight.

• What does ‘break the ice’ mean?

  To “break the ice” means to ease initial social tension. Brewer's records the phrase from the practical business of breaking ice to allow ships to enter port; hence any first move that opens a way for others.

• What does ‘tickled pink’ mean?

  To “tickled pink” means to extremely pleased. A 20th-century idiom; the image is of the flush of pleasure.

• What does ‘true blue’ mean?

  To “true blue” means to staunchly loyal, especially in politics. Brewer's traces 'true blue' to the Scottish Covenanters, whose blue banners stood for staunch adherence; the phrase has been transferred to political and personal loyalty.

• What does ‘white lie’ mean?

  To “white lie” means to a small, harmless untruth told to be kind. The distinction between 'white' (harmless) and 'black' (malicious) lies is old in English; Brewer's notes the traditional colour symbolism.

• What does ‘the pot calling the kettle black’ mean?

  To “the pot calling the kettle black” means to accusing someone of a fault you have yourself. Brewer's records this as an old English proverb, and a version appears in Cervantes' Don Quixote.

• What does ‘a golden opportunity’ mean?

  To “a golden opportunity” means to an unusually good chance. A modern English idiom drawn from the value symbolism of gold.

• What does ‘paint the town red’ mean?

  To “paint the town red” means to celebrate wildly, especially in public. A late 19th-century American idiom whose origin is uncertain; a folk story attributes it to the Marquess of Waterford's drunken exploits in Melton Mowbray in 1837, but the connection is not firm.

• What does ‘see red’ mean?

  To “see red” means to become suddenly very angry. The phrase is 19th-century English; the popular link to bullfighters' red capes is folk etymology (bulls are colour-blind), but the imagery survives.

• What does ‘in the red / in the black’ mean?

  To “in the red / in the black” means to losing money / making a profit. A 20th-century accountant's idiom, from the traditional practice of writing debits in red ink and credits in black; not in Brewer's 1898.

• What does ‘a grey area’ mean?

  To “a grey area” means to something that isn't clearly right or wrong. A modern idiom, not in Brewer's 1898; the image is of a shade between black and white.

• What does ‘give the green light’ mean?

  To “give the green light” means to authorise something to proceed. A 20th-century idiom drawn from railway and traffic signals; not in Brewer's 1898.

• What does ‘green with envy’ mean?

  To “green with envy” means to extremely jealous. Brewer's traces the colour association to Shakespeare's Othello (III.iii): 'the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.'

• What does ‘the black sheep’ mean?

  To “the black sheep” means to the odd or discreditable member of a group. See also 'the black sheep of the family': Brewer's notes the old prejudice against black-fleeced sheep and the transferred sense.

• What does ‘a white elephant’ mean?

  To “a white elephant” means to a costly possession that is more trouble than it is worth. Brewer's records the tradition attributed to Siamese kings, who reputedly gave sacred white elephants to courtiers they disliked; the animal was ruinously expensive to keep.

• What does ‘caught red-handed’ mean?

  To “caught red-handed” means to caught in the act of wrongdoing. Brewer's traces the phrase to old Scottish law, where 'red hand' meant literally being caught with a slain victim's blood on the hand; Sir Walter Scott popularized the phrase in Ivanhoe (1819).

• What does ‘once in a blue moon’ mean?

  To “once in a blue moon” means to very rarely. Brewer's records the astronomical and folk background: a 'blue moon' referred both to unusual atmospheric appearances (as after a volcanic eruption) and to a second full moon in a calendar month, both rare events.

• What does ‘a fine kettle of fish’ mean?

  To “a fine kettle of fish” means to a messy or awkward situation. Brewer's records the phrase as long-standing in English, though the connection to a Scottish riverside picnic ('kettle of fish') is disputed by later scholarship.

• What does ‘butter someone up’ mean?

  To “butter someone up” means to flatter someone to gain favour. Recorded in English from the 18th century; Brewer's notes the metaphor of smoothing over with fat.

• What does ‘in a pickle’ mean?

  To “in a pickle” means to in a difficult situation. Brewer's records the phrase in English from the 16th century, with a related figurative use in Shakespeare's The Tempest.

• What does ‘a hot potato’ mean?

  To “a hot potato” means to a controversial topic no one wants to handle. A 20th-century idiom drawn from the children's game of passing a hot potato quickly to avoid being burnt.

• What does ‘chew the fat’ mean?

  To “chew the fat” means to have a leisurely chat. A 19th-century idiom of uncertain origin; Brewer's 1898 does not record it in this sense.

• What does ‘the proof of the pudding is in the eating’ mean?

  To “the proof of the pudding is in the eating” means to judge something by trying it, not by talking about it. Brewer's lists this as a classic English proverb, recorded from the 17th century; the modern short form 'the proof is in the pudding' is a misquotation.

• What does ‘a smart cookie’ mean?

  To “a smart cookie” means to a clever, capable person. A 20th-century American idiom; not in Brewer's 1898.

• What does ‘full of beans’ mean?

  To “full of beans” means to lively and energetic. A 19th-century idiom, originally applied to horses fed beans as fodder; Brewer's records the horse sense.

• What does ‘sour grapes’ mean?

  To “sour grapes” means to pretending to disdain something you actually wanted. Brewer's cites the Aesop fable of the fox who, unable to reach the grapes, declares them sour.

• What does ‘take with a grain of salt’ mean?

  To “take with a grain of salt” means to treat with scepticism. Brewer's traces the phrase to the Latin 'cum grano salis', found in Pliny the Elder as advice for taking a medicinal remedy; the figurative sense of scepticism grew from there.

• What does ‘one bad apple spoils the bunch’ mean?

  To “one bad apple spoils the bunch” means to one negative element can ruin the whole group. The proverb is old — Chaucer uses a similar image in the 14th century — and Brewer's records it in traditional form.

• What does ‘the apple of your eye’ mean?

  To “the apple of your eye” means to someone cherished above all others. The phrase appears in the Bible (Deuteronomy 32:10, Psalm 17:8). Brewer's lists it as a biblical phrase in common English use, originally referring to the pupil of the eye — the most delicate spot.

• What does ‘cut the mustard’ mean?

  To “cut the mustard” means to meet expectations or perform adequately. A late 19th- or early 20th-century American idiom; the origin is uncertain and Brewer's 1898 does not record it.

• What does ‘bring home the bacon’ mean?

  To “bring home the bacon” means to earn a living; succeed. A modern American idiom; the popular Dunmow flitch story (a side of bacon awarded to a couple who never quarrelled) is discussed in Brewer's but is not the direct source of this 20th-century financial sense.

• What does ‘in a nutshell’ mean?

  To “in a nutshell” means to in a brief summary. Brewer's traces the image to a classical anecdote: the Iliad written so small it could fit inside a walnut shell, cited by Pliny the Elder.

• What does ‘a hard nut to crack’ mean?

  To “a hard nut to crack” means to a difficult problem or person to deal with. Recorded in English from the 18th century; Brewer's lists it as a proverbial phrase.

• What does ‘have your cake and eat it too’ mean?

  To “have your cake and eat it too” means to enjoy two mutually exclusive advantages. The proverb is recorded in English from the 16th century in the form 'You cannot eat your cake and have it'; Brewer's includes it as an old English proverb.

• What does ‘the icing on the cake’ mean?

  To “the icing on the cake” means to an extra benefit that makes a good thing even better. A modern idiom; the image is self-explanatory.

• What does ‘piece of cake’ mean?

  To “piece of cake” means to something very easy to do. A 20th-century idiom, probably American or RAF slang; not in Brewer's 1898.

• What does ‘spill the beans’ mean?

  To “spill the beans” means to reveal a secret or confidential information. The origin is uncertain and often traced doubtfully to ancient Greek voting with beans; Brewer's 1898 does not record the modern American idiom, which spread in the early 20th century.

• What does ‘take a rain check’ mean?

  To “take a rain check” means to politely decline now but accept later. A 19th-century American idiom from baseball, where a rain-check ticket admitted a spectator to a rescheduled game after a rain-out. Not in Brewer's 1898.

• What does ‘get wind of’ mean?

  To “get wind of” means to hear a rumour or first indication of something. An old English idiom drawn from hunting — animals catching the scent on the wind. Brewer's records the phrase in that literal sense.

• What does ‘snowed under’ mean?

  To “snowed under” means to overwhelmed, usually with work. A modern idiom; the image is of being buried by heavy snow.

• What does ‘a bolt from the blue’ mean?

  To “a bolt from the blue” means to a sudden, unexpected event. The phrase is popularly linked to Thomas Carlyle's writings in the 19th century; the image is of lightning from a clear sky.

• What does ‘have your head in the clouds’ mean?

  To “have your head in the clouds” means to be daydreaming or unrealistic. A long-standing English idiom; Brewer's records the sentiment without a single source.

• What does ‘on cloud nine’ mean?

  To “on cloud nine” means to extremely happy. A 20th-century American idiom, likely from a US Weather Bureau classification of high cumulonimbus clouds; not in Brewer's 1898.

• What does ‘steal someone's thunder’ mean?

  To “steal someone's thunder” means to take credit for someone else's idea or upstage them. Brewer's records the origin: the dramatist John Dennis invented a new device for stage thunder for his 1704 play; when the play flopped and a rival theatre used his device, he cried, 'They will not let my play run, but they steal my thunder!'

• What does ‘come rain or shine’ mean?

  To “come rain or shine” means to no matter the circumstances. A 20th-century idiom of commitment; not a phrase Brewer's 1898 records under this form.

• What does ‘a storm in a teacup’ mean?

  To “a storm in a teacup” means to a big fuss over a small matter. Brewer's records this English phrase, the American form being 'a tempest in a teapot'; the imagery is at least 18th-century, and analogues go back to classical writers.

• What does ‘chase rainbows’ mean?

  To “chase rainbows” means to pursue fanciful, unreachable goals. A modern idiom; the image is of the endlessly receding rainbow's end. Brewer's 1898 does not record it in this form.

• What does ‘a fair-weather friend’ mean?

  To “a fair-weather friend” means to someone loyal only in good times. The image is proverbial in English by the 18th century.

• What does ‘weather the storm’ mean?

  To “weather the storm” means to survive a difficult period. A long-standing English idiom, originally literal at sea, in common metaphorical use for centuries.

• What does ‘the calm before the storm’ mean?

  To “the calm before the storm” means to a peaceful interval before trouble. The phrase is old and proverbial in seafaring English; Brewer's records it without fixing a single origin.

• What does ‘every cloud has a silver lining’ mean?

  To “every cloud has a silver lining” means to every hardship carries some hope or benefit. The image is popularly traced to Milton's Comus (1634); Brewer's records it as a proverb of consolation.

• What does ‘under the weather’ mean?

  To “under the weather” means to feeling ill or unwell. A 19th-century nautical idiom: a sick sailor was sent below decks and thus 'under the weather' rail. Brewer's does not fix a single origin.

• What does ‘up in arms’ mean?

  To “up in arms” means to angrily protesting. Brewer's records this originally as a military expression for being ready to fight; the figurative sense of public indignation followed.

• What does ‘have butterflies in your stomach’ mean?

  To “have butterflies in your stomach” means to feel nervous anticipation. A 20th-century idiom, not in Brewer's 1898; the image describes a fluttering sensation before a big event.

• What does ‘see eye to eye’ mean?

  To “see eye to eye” means to agree fully with someone. From the Book of Isaiah (52:8). Brewer's includes it among biblical phrases naturalized in English.

• What does ‘have your hands full’ mean?

  To “have your hands full” means to be very busy or preoccupied. A long-standing English idiom recorded from the 16th century.

• What does ‘rub someone the wrong way’ mean?

  To “rub someone the wrong way” means to annoy or irritate someone. The image is of stroking an animal's fur against the grain. The idiom is 19th-century American.

• What does ‘give the thumbs up’ mean?

  To “give the thumbs up” means to approve or endorse. Brewer's discusses the Roman arena gesture (with its actual meaning long debated by scholars); the modern positive sense is a 20th-century convention.

• What does ‘wear your heart on your sleeve’ mean?

  To “wear your heart on your sleeve” means to show your feelings openly. Brewer's traces this to a passage in Shakespeare's Othello (I.i): 'I will wear my heart upon my sleeve for daws to peck at.'

• What does ‘have a heart of gold’ mean?

  To “have a heart of gold” means to be very kind and generous. The phrase appears in Shakespeare's Henry V (IV.i). Brewer's includes it among Shakespearean phrases now proverbial.

• What does ‘get something off your chest’ mean?

  To “get something off your chest” means to confess or vent something troubling. A 19th-century idiom; the image is of a weight lifted from the heart.

• What does ‘a shot in the arm’ mean?

  To “a shot in the arm” means to a boost or encouragement. A 20th-century idiom from medical injections; not in Brewer's 1898.

• What does ‘play it by ear’ mean?

  To “play it by ear” means to improvise as you go, without a plan. The phrase comes from musicians playing without written score. Its idiomatic use spread in the 20th century.

• What does ‘cross your fingers’ mean?

  To “cross your fingers” means to hope for good luck. The gesture is very old and is often linked to the sign of the cross made covertly against ill fortune; Brewer's records the folk-belief background.

• What does ‘by the skin of your teeth’ mean?

  To “by the skin of your teeth” means to only just; narrowly. From the Book of Job (19:20). Brewer's includes it among the biblical phrases in common English use.

• What does ‘a stiff upper lip’ mean?

  To “a stiff upper lip” means to stoic endurance without complaint. The phrase became associated with British reserve in the 19th and 20th centuries; Brewer's does not fix an origin, and its earliest recorded uses are American.

• What does ‘keep your chin up’ mean?

  To “keep your chin up” means to stay cheerful in difficulty. A modern encouragement not in Brewer's 1898; the image is of literal posture betraying mood.

• What does ‘a chip on your shoulder’ mean?

  To “a chip on your shoulder” means to a lasting grievance that makes someone easily offended. Brewer's records the American schoolboy custom of placing a chip of wood on the shoulder and daring another to knock it off as a challenge to fight; hence the transferred sense.

• What does ‘turn a blind eye’ mean?

  To “turn a blind eye” means to pretend not to see something. Brewer's attributes the origin to Admiral Nelson at the Battle of Copenhagen (1801), who put his telescope to his blind eye and said he could not see the signal to withdraw.

• What does ‘give someone the cold shoulder’ mean?

  To “give someone the cold shoulder” means to deliberately ignore or snub someone. The phrase became common in the early 19th century after Sir Walter Scott used it; the popular story linking it to a cold shoulder of mutton served to unwelcome guests is charming but not securely documented, as Brewer's-era usage shows.

• What does ‘face the music’ mean?

  To “face the music” means to accept the unpleasant consequences of your actions. A 19th-century American idiom, said by some to derive from theatre (actors facing the orchestra pit) or military drumming-out ceremonies; Brewer's 1898 does not settle the origin.

• What does ‘put your foot in your mouth’ mean?

  To “put your foot in your mouth” means to say something tactless or embarrassing. A 19th-century idiom; Brewer's records the related 'put one's foot in it' — to blunder — and the American 'in one's mouth' form followed.

• What does ‘get cold feet’ mean?

  To “get cold feet” means to lose the courage to act at the last moment. The idiom appears in English in the late 19th century, possibly translating a German expression; Brewer's 1898 does not record it, and no single origin is secure.

• What does ‘pull someone's leg’ mean?

  To “pull someone's leg” means to tease or trick someone playfully. The phrase is late 19th-century; its origin is uncertain, and Brewer's does not fix a single explanation.

• What does ‘cost an arm and a leg’ mean?

  To “cost an arm and a leg” means to be extremely expensive. A 20th-century American idiom; Brewer's 1898 does not record it. The image is of a price that costs more than money.

• What does ‘break a leg’ mean?

  To “break a leg” means to good luck (especially to a performer). A 20th-century theatrical superstition, not in Brewer's 1898; wishing 'good luck' was thought to invite bad luck, so the opposite was said.

• What does ‘bite the bullet’ mean?

  To “bite the bullet” means to endure something painful with courage. Brewer's notes the practice among 19th-century military surgeons of giving a wounded soldier a bullet or leather strap to bite during surgery before anaesthesia was common; the phrase entered popular English from that battlefield use.

• What does ‘monkey business’ mean?

  To “monkey business” means to dishonest or mischievous behaviour. A 19th-century American idiom drawn from the antics of monkeys; not in Brewer's 1898.

• What does ‘a wild-goose chase’ mean?

  To “a wild-goose chase” means to a hopeless or pointless pursuit. Brewer's records the phrase from an old form of horse race in which one rider set an erratic course and the others had to follow, like a flock of geese; hence any zigzagging, futile pursuit.

• What does ‘take the bull by the horns’ mean?

  To “take the bull by the horns” means to confront a difficulty directly. The image is old and English proverbial; Brewer's records it without fixing a single origin, though it is often linked to the risky control of a charging bull.

• What does ‘the lion's share’ mean?

  To “the lion's share” means to the largest portion. Brewer's cites Aesop's fable in which the lion, hunting with weaker beasts, claims the whole prey by threats — the 'lion's share' is thus all or nearly all.

• What does ‘crocodile tears’ mean?

  To “crocodile tears” means to a false show of sorrow. Brewer's records the medieval belief, reported by Sir John Mandeville and others, that crocodiles would weep while devouring their prey.

• What does ‘a snake in the grass’ mean?

  To “a snake in the grass” means to a hidden, treacherous person or danger. Brewer's traces the phrase to Virgil's Eclogues (III.93): 'latet anguis in herba' — a snake lurks in the grass.

• What does ‘when pigs fly’ mean?

  To “when pigs fly” means to never; something that will not happen. The 'flying pig' image as impossibility is proverbial in English; Brewer's does not fix a single origin.

• What does ‘the black sheep of the family’ mean?

  To “the black sheep of the family” means to a member who stands out for the wrong reasons. Brewer's notes the old prejudice against black-fleeced sheep, whose wool could not be dyed and so was worth less; the outlier lamb thus became a metaphor for the odd or discreditable member of a group.

• What does ‘a red herring’ mean?

  To “a red herring” means to a misleading clue meant to distract from the truth. Brewer's explains the phrase from an old practice of drawing a strong-smelling smoked herring across a trail to test or throw off hounds; hence any false scent laid to divert attention.

• What does ‘there are plenty of fish in the sea’ mean?

  To “there are plenty of fish in the sea” means to there are many other romantic partners available. A modern consolation idiom, likely 19th-century in current form; Brewer's does not fix a specific origin.

• What does ‘a fish out of water’ mean?

  To “a fish out of water” means to someone in an unfamiliar and uncomfortable situation. Brewer's records this simile as a long-standing English proverb.

• What does ‘a dark horse’ mean?

  To “a dark horse” means to a competitor whose abilities are unknown until they prove strong. Brewer's records this as a turf term: a horse whose form has been kept secret to lengthen its odds. Popularized by Disraeli's novel The Young Duke (1831).

• What does ‘straight from the horse's mouth’ mean?

  To “straight from the horse's mouth” means to directly from the most reliable source. The phrase comes from horse-racing, where a tip on a horse's condition was thought most reliable if it came, figuratively, from the horse itself. The idiom is 20th-century and not in Brewer's 1898.

• What does ‘hold your horses’ mean?

  To “hold your horses” means to wait, slow down, be patient. A 19th-century American idiom from actual horse-driving; it is not in Brewer's 1898. It became widespread in the mid-1800s.

• What does ‘don't count your chickens before they hatch’ mean?

  To “don't count your chickens before they hatch” means to don't rely on gains you haven't yet secured. The proverb goes back to Aesop's fable of the milkmaid. Brewer's records the sentiment as a long-standing English proverb.

• What does ‘the early bird catches the worm’ mean?

  To “the early bird catches the worm” means to those who act promptly gain the advantage. Brewer's lists this as an old English proverb, recorded in print by the 17th century.

• What does ‘a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush’ mean?

  To “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush” means to what you have is better than what you might get. Brewer's lists this among the classic English proverbs; the imagery is drawn from falconry, where the trained bird already on the fist is more valuable than wild birds in cover.

• What does ‘kill two birds with one stone’ mean?

  To “kill two birds with one stone” means to achieve two aims with a single action. The phrase is proverbial in English by the 17th century. Brewer's records the sentiment as an old proverb without fixing a single origin.

• What does ‘a fly in the ointment’ mean?

  To “a fly in the ointment” means to a small flaw that spoils something good. From Ecclesiastes 10:1: 'Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour.' Brewer's lists it as one of the biblical phrases familiar in English.

• What does ‘the elephant in the room’ mean?

  To “the elephant in the room” means to an obvious problem no one wants to discuss. This is a 20th-century American idiom and is not in Brewer's 1898; the earliest clear print uses appear in the mid-1900s.

• What does ‘a leopard cannot change its spots’ mean?

  To “a leopard cannot change its spots” means to people cannot change their essential nature. From the Book of Jeremiah (13:23). Brewer's cites it among the scriptural sayings that have become English proverbs.

• What does ‘a wolf in sheep's clothing’ mean?

  To “a wolf in sheep's clothing” means to a dangerous person disguised as harmless. The phrase comes from the Gospel of Matthew (7:15). Brewer's Dictionary lists it among the biblical proverbs that have entered common English.

• What does ‘curiosity killed the cat’ mean?

  To “curiosity killed the cat” means to being too inquisitive can lead to harm. The modern form is not in Brewer's 1898; the older proverb was 'care killed the cat' (found in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, 1598), and 'curiosity' was substituted later, apparently in the early 20th century.

• What does ‘let the cat out of the bag’ mean?

  To “let the cat out of the bag” means to reveal a secret, often by accident. Brewer's records the popular story that dishonest market sellers substituted a cat for a suckling pig in a tied sack; opening the bag exposed the swap. The tale is charming but not securely documented.

• What does ‘raining cats and dogs’ mean?

  To “raining cats and dogs” means to rain very heavily. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898) notes several folk explanations for this saying — from Norse mythology (cats as symbols of storms, dogs of wind) to the debris that once washed off medieval roofs during downpours — but treats the true origin as uncertain.