# Best Idiom Answers > Plain answers about idioms, sayings, and phrases — meanings and origins, sourced to the classic references. Best Idiom Answers publishes plain-language answers about idioms, sayings, and phrases. A markdown twin of every page is available by appending /md to its URL. All content is licensed under the Citation License 1.0 (https://bestidiomanswers.com/license). ## Hubs - [Animal idioms](https://bestidiomanswers.com/library/animal-idioms): Idioms and sayings drawn from the animal world — cats, dogs, horses, birds, and beasts — many of which Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and… - [Body idioms](https://bestidiomanswers.com/library/body-idioms): Sayings that turn on parts of the body — bones, hands, feet, teeth — often traced by Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898) to old… - [Classic proverbs](https://bestidiomanswers.com/library/classic-proverbs): Proverbs in wide English use — many of them, as Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898) records, are centuries old and drawn from… - [Color idioms](https://bestidiomanswers.com/library/color-idioms): Idioms that turn on colour — red, blue, green, black, white — often carrying old symbolic weight recorded in Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase… - [Food idioms](https://bestidiomanswers.com/library/food-idioms): Idioms about cake, bread, salt, and the kitchen — many of them, as Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898) notes, are proverbial in… - [Luck & fortune sayings](https://bestidiomanswers.com/library/luck-and-fortune-sayings): Sayings about luck, fate, and adversity — from classical maxims to Shakespearean tags, several of which Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and… - [Money & work sayings](https://bestidiomanswers.com/library/money-and-work-sayings): Sayings about money, thrift, effort, and the workplace — Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898) records many of these as old… - [Weather idioms](https://bestidiomanswers.com/library/weather-idioms): Idioms drawn from clouds, storms, rain, and sunshine — Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898) records several of these as… ## Answers - [What does 'jog-trot' mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/jog-trot): A 'jog-trot' is a slow but regular pace. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), human-proofread transcription on English… - [What does 'on the side of the angels' mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/side-of-the-angels): To be 'on the side of the angels' is to stand for the higher, moral view — from Disraeli's Oxford speech of 25 November 1864: 'The question… - [What does 'sick as a horse' mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/sick-as-a-horse): 'Sick as a horse' means nausea unrelieved by vomiting — Brewer notes a horse cannot vomit, so its nausea is more lasting and more violent… - [What does the 'Sick Man of Europe' mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/sick-man): The 'Sick Man' was the label Nicholas I of Russia gave the declining Ottoman Empire in 1844, and the phrase has been applied to other… - [What was the 'Sicilian Vespers'?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/sicilian-vespers): The 'Sicilian Vespers' was the massacre of the French in Sicily that began at the hour of vespers on Easter Monday in 1282. Brewer's… - [Who is a 'John-a-Droynes'?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/john-a-droynes): 'John-a-Droynes' is a foolish character in Whetstone's 'Promos and Cassandra' (1578) who stands dazed while informers cheat him of his… - [Who is a 'John-a-Nokes'?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/john-a-nokes): 'John-a-Nokes' is an old English name for a simpleton, used as a stock name in legal cases and comic tales. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase… - [Who is a 'John-a-Dreams'?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/john-a-dreams): A 'John-a-Dreams' is a stupid, dreamy fellow — always in a brown study and half asleep; used by Shakespeare in Hamlet. Brewer's Dictionary… - [What is a 'Joey' coin?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/joey): A 'Joey' is a groat — nicknamed after Joseph Hume, M.P., who campaigned for the small coin to make paying short cab-fares easier. Brewer's… - [What is a 'jobation'?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/jobation): A 'jobation' is a long, tedious scolding — named after the patriarch Job and the tedious rebukes inflicted on him by his friends. Brewer's… - [What is a 'dog watch' at sea?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/dog-watch): A 'dog watch' is one of two short two-hour watches at sea (4–6 and 6–8 pm), introduced to dodge the routine so the same men wouldn't always… - [What is a 'dog-vane'?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/dog-vane): A 'dog-vane' is a nautical term familiarly applied to a cockade. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), human-proofread… - [What is a 'dog-sleep'?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/dog-sleep): A 'dog-sleep' is a pretended sleep — from the idea that dogs seem to sleep with one eye open. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable… - [What does 'dog-sick' mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/dog-sick): 'Dog-sick' means as sick as a dog — violently ill. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), human-proofread transcription on English… - [What is 'dog Latin'?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/dog-latin): 'Dog Latin' is pretended or mongrel Latin — pseudo-Latin coined by adding Latin endings to English words. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and… - [What are the 'dog days' of summer?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/dog-days): The 'dog days' are the hottest weeks of summer — the Romans linked them to the dog-star Sirius rising with the sun (roughly July 3 to… - [What does 'dog-cheap' mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/dog-cheap): 'Dog-cheap' means extremely cheap — a perversion of Old English 'god-chepe', a good bargain. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable… - [What does 'Abel and Cain' refer to?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/abel-and-cain): 'Abel and Cain' are the biblical brothers whose story is retold with legendary embellishments in Muslim tradition; Brewer records the… - [What does 'Abderitan laughter' mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/abderitan-laughter): 'Abderitan laughter' means scoffing or incessant laughter — after Abdera, the birthplace of Democritus, the laughing philosopher. Brewer's… - [Who was the 'Abbot of Misrule'?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/abbot-of-misrule): The 'Abbot of Misrule' (also 'Lord of Misrule') was the person appointed to superintend Christmas diversions in old English households… - [What is an 'abbey-lubber'?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/abbey-lubber): An 'abbey-lubber' is an idle, well-fed dependent or loafer — originally a satirical name for lazy monks. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and… - [What does the proverb 'Abandon fait larron' mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/abandon-fait-larron): The French proverb means 'opportunity makes the thief' — neglecting to guard one's goods leads others into temptation. Brewer's Dictionary… - [What does 'taken aback' mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/aback): To be 'taken aback' is to be greatly astonished, taken by surprise, or startled — from a sailing term for when a ship's sails are suddenly… - [What does 'A1' mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a1): 'A1' means first-rate or the very best. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), human-proofread transcription on English Wikisource… - [What is a 'dog-fall' in wrestling?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/dog-fall): A 'dog-fall' in wrestling is when both wrestlers fall together. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), human-proofread… - [What is a 'Joe Miller'?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/joe-or-a-joe-miller): A 'Joe Miller' is a stale joke — named after a published compilation of jokes issued under that nom de plume. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase… - [What does ‘don't cry over spilt milk’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/dont-cry-over-spilt-milk): 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… - [What does ‘you can't teach an old dog new tricks’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/you-cant-teach-an-old-dog-new-tricks): 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… - [What does ‘necessity is the mother of invention’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention): To “necessity is the mother of invention” means to need drives creativity. The saying appears in various forms in classical writers… - [What does ‘he who laughs last laughs best’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/he-who-laughs-last-laughs-best): 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?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/look-before-you-leap): 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… - [What does ‘haste makes waste’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/haste-makes-waste): 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?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-friend-in-need-is-a-friend-indeed): 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… - [What does ‘out of sight, out of mind’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/out-of-sight-out-of-mind): 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… - [What does ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/absence-makes-the-heart-grow-fonder): To “absence makes the heart grow fonder” means to time apart increases affection. The phrase became widely known through T. H. Bayly's 1844… - [What does ‘too many cooks spoil the broth’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/too-many-cooks-spoil-the-broth): 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… - [What does ‘many hands make light work’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/many-hands-make-light-work): To “many hands make light work” means to large groups can finish tasks quickly. Brewer's records this as a classic English proverb, in… - [What does ‘all that glitters is not gold’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/all-that-glitters-is-not-gold): To “all that glitters is not gold” means to appearances can deceive. Brewer's records the phrase from Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice… - [What does ‘when in Rome, do as the Romans do’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/when-in-rome-do-as-the-romans-do): 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… - [What does ‘the grass is always greener on the other side’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/the-grass-is-always-greener-on-the-other-side): To “the grass is always greener on the other side” means to other people's situations always look better. A modern English proverb, in… - [What does ‘two wrongs don't make a right’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/two-wrongs-dont-make-a-right): To “two wrongs don't make a right” means to responding to wrongdoing with wrongdoing is not justified. Brewer's lists this among the… - [What does ‘practice makes perfect’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/practice-makes-perfect): 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?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/dont-judge-a-book-by-its-cover): 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?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/beauty-is-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder): To “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” means to judgments of beauty are subjective. The modern form is 19th-century (Margaret Wolfe… - [What does ‘beggars can't be choosers’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/beggars-cant-be-choosers): 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… - [What does ‘the road to hell is paved with good intentions’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/the-road-to-hell-is-paved-with-good-intentions): 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… - [What does ‘bury the hatchet’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/bury-the-hatchet): 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… - [What does ‘kick the bucket’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/kick-the-bucket): 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… - [What does ‘strike while the iron is hot’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/strike-while-the-iron-is-hot): To “strike while the iron is hot” means to act promptly while the opportunity lasts. Brewer's records the proverb, drawn from the… - [What does ‘hit the nail on the head’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/hit-the-nail-on-the-head): 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… - [What does ‘when the going gets tough, the tough get going’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/when-the-going-gets-tough-the-tough-get-going): To “when the going gets tough, the tough get going” means to adversity brings out the strongest. A 20th-century saying often attributed to… - [What does ‘blood is thicker than water’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/blood-is-thicker-than-water): To “blood is thicker than water” means to family ties outweigh other loyalties. Brewer's records the proverb in traditional English form… - [What does ‘the pen is mightier than the sword’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/the-pen-is-mightier-than-the-sword): To “the pen is mightier than the sword” means to persuasion and writing outweigh force. Brewer's attributes the modern phrasing to Edward… - [What does ‘actions speak louder than words’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/actions-speak-louder-than-words): To “actions speak louder than words” means to behaviour reveals intent more truly than speech does. The proverb is recorded in English by… - [What does ‘a stitch in time saves nine’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-stitch-in-time-saves-nine): 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… - [What does ‘every dog has its day’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/every-dog-has-its-day): 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… - [What does ‘don't put all your eggs in one basket’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/dont-put-all-your-eggs-in-one-basket): 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… - [What does ‘fortune favours the bold’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/fortune-favours-the-bold): To “fortune favours the bold” means to luck sides with those who take initiative. Brewer's traces the maxim to the Latin 'audentes fortuna… - [What does ‘back to the drawing board’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/back-to-the-drawing-board): 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… - [What does ‘throw in the towel’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/throw-in-the-towel): 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… - [What does ‘move the goalposts’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/move-the-goalposts): 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?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/the-ball-is-in-your-court): 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?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-shot-in-the-dark): 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?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/get-down-to-brass-tacks): 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?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/learn-the-ropes): To “learn the ropes” means to learn how a job or system works. Brewer's records this as originally a nautical idiom, describing an… - [What does ‘cut corners’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/cut-corners): 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… - [What does ‘put your money where your mouth is’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/put-your-money-where-your-mouth-is): 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… - [What does ‘a penny saved is a penny earned’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-penny-saved-is-a-penny-earned): 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… - [What does ‘money doesn't grow on trees’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/money-doesnt-grow-on-trees): 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?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/time-is-money): 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… - [What does ‘a penny for your thoughts’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-penny-for-your-thoughts): To “a penny for your thoughts” means to asking someone what they are thinking. Brewer's records this as an old English proverb, familiar… - [What does ‘penny wise and pound foolish’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/penny-wise-and-pound-foolish): 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… - [What does ‘cost a pretty penny’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/cost-a-pretty-penny): To “cost a pretty penny” means to be expensive. An 18th-century English idiom; 'pretty' here is an old sense meaning 'considerable'… - [What does ‘burn the candle at both ends’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/burn-the-candle-at-both-ends): 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… - [What does ‘burn the midnight oil’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/burn-the-midnight-oil): 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… - [What does ‘break the ice’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/break-the-ice): To “break the ice” means to ease initial social tension. Brewer's records the phrase from the practical business of breaking ice to allow… - [What does ‘tickled pink’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/tickled-pink): To “tickled pink” means to extremely pleased. A 20th-century idiom; the image is of the flush of pleasure. - [What does ‘true blue’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/true-blue): To “true blue” means to staunchly loyal, especially in politics. Brewer's traces 'true blue' to the Scottish Covenanters, whose blue… - [What does ‘white lie’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/white-lie): To “white lie” means to a small, harmless untruth told to be kind. The distinction between 'white' (harmless) and 'black' (malicious) lies… - [What does ‘the pot calling the kettle black’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/the-pot-calling-the-kettle-black): 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… - [What does ‘a golden opportunity’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-golden-opportunity): 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?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/paint-the-town-red): To “paint the town red” means to celebrate wildly, especially in public. A late 19th-century American idiom whose origin is uncertain; a… - [What does ‘see red’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/see-red): To “see red” means to become suddenly very angry. The phrase is 19th-century English; the popular link to bullfighters' red capes is folk… - [What does ‘in the red / in the black’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/in-the-red-in-the-black): 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… - [What does ‘a grey area’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-grey-area): 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… - [What does ‘give the green light’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/give-the-green-light): To “give the green light” means to authorise something to proceed. A 20th-century idiom drawn from railway and traffic signals; not in… - [What does ‘green with envy’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/green-with-envy): To “green with envy” means to extremely jealous. Brewer's traces the colour association to Shakespeare's Othello (III.iii): 'the green-eyed… - [What does ‘the black sheep’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/the-black-sheep): 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… - [What does ‘a white elephant’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-white-elephant): To “a white elephant” means to a costly possession that is more trouble than it is worth. Brewer's records the tradition attributed to… - [What does ‘caught red-handed’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/caught-red-handed): 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… - [What does ‘once in a blue moon’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/once-in-a-blue-moon): To “once in a blue moon” means to very rarely. Brewer's records the astronomical and folk background: a 'blue moon' referred both to… - [What does ‘a fine kettle of fish’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-fine-kettle-of-fish): 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… - [What does ‘butter someone up’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/butter-someone-up): To “butter someone up” means to flatter someone to gain favour. Recorded in English from the 18th century; Brewer's notes the metaphor of… - [What does ‘in a pickle’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/in-a-pickle): 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… - [What does ‘a hot potato’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-hot-potato): 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… - [What does ‘chew the fat’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/chew-the-fat): 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?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/the-proof-of-the-pudding-is-in-the-eating): 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… - [What does ‘a smart cookie’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-smart-cookie): 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?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/full-of-beans): To “full of beans” means to lively and energetic. A 19th-century idiom, originally applied to horses fed beans as fodder; Brewer's records… - [What does ‘sour grapes’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/sour-grapes): To “sour grapes” means to pretending to disdain something you actually wanted. Brewer's cites the Aesop fable of the fox who, unable to… - [What does ‘take with a grain of salt’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/take-with-a-grain-of-salt): 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… - [What does ‘one bad apple spoils the bunch’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/one-bad-apple-spoils-the-bunch): 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… - [What does ‘the apple of your eye’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/the-apple-of-your-eye): 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)… - [What does ‘cut the mustard’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/cut-the-mustard): To “cut the mustard” means to meet expectations or perform adequately. A late 19th- or early 20th-century American idiom; the origin is… - [What does ‘bring home the bacon’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/bring-home-the-bacon): To “bring home the bacon” means to earn a living; succeed. A modern American idiom; the popular Dunmow flitch story (a side of bacon… - [What does ‘in a nutshell’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/in-a-nutshell): 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… - [What does ‘a hard nut to crack’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-hard-nut-to-crack): 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… - [What does ‘have your cake and eat it too’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too): To “have your cake and eat it too” means to enjoy two mutually exclusive advantages. The proverb is recorded in English from the 16th… - [What does ‘the icing on the cake’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/the-icing-on-the-cake): 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?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/piece-of-cake): 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?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/spill-the-beans): To “spill the beans” means to reveal a secret or confidential information. The origin is uncertain and often traced doubtfully to ancient… - [What does ‘take a rain check’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/take-a-rain-check): To “take a rain check” means to politely decline now but accept later. A 19th-century American idiom from baseball, where a rain-check… - [What does ‘get wind of’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/get-wind-of): To “get wind of” means to hear a rumour or first indication of something. An old English idiom drawn from hunting — animals catching the… - [What does ‘snowed under’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/snowed-under): 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?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-bolt-from-the-blue): 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… - [What does ‘have your head in the clouds’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/have-your-head-in-the-clouds): To “have your head in the clouds” means to be daydreaming or unrealistic. A long-standing English idiom; Brewer's records the sentiment… - [What does ‘on cloud nine’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/on-cloud-nine): To “on cloud nine” means to extremely happy. A 20th-century American idiom, likely from a US Weather Bureau classification of high… - [What does ‘steal someone's thunder’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/steal-someones-thunder): 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… - [What does ‘come rain or shine’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/come-rain-or-shine): 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… - [What does ‘a storm in a teacup’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-storm-in-a-teacup): 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… - [What does ‘chase rainbows’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/chase-rainbows): To “chase rainbows” means to pursue fanciful, unreachable goals. A modern idiom; the image is of the endlessly receding rainbow's end… - [What does ‘a fair-weather friend’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-fair-weather-friend): 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?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/weather-the-storm): To “weather the storm” means to survive a difficult period. A long-standing English idiom, originally literal at sea, in common… - [What does ‘the calm before the storm’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/the-calm-before-the-storm): To “the calm before the storm” means to a peaceful interval before trouble. The phrase is old and proverbial in seafaring English; Brewer's… - [What does ‘every cloud has a silver lining’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/every-cloud-has-a-silver-lining): 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… - [What does ‘under the weather’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/under-the-weather): 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… - [What does ‘up in arms’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/up-in-arms): To “up in arms” means to angrily protesting. Brewer's records this originally as a military expression for being ready to fight; the… - [What does ‘have butterflies in your stomach’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/have-butterflies-in-your-stomach): To “have butterflies in your stomach” means to feel nervous anticipation. A 20th-century idiom, not in Brewer's 1898; the image describes a… - [What does ‘see eye to eye’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/see-eye-to-eye): 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… - [What does ‘have your hands full’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/have-your-hands-full): 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?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/rub-someone-the-wrong-way): 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… - [What does ‘give the thumbs up’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/give-the-thumbs-up): To “give the thumbs up” means to approve or endorse. Brewer's discusses the Roman arena gesture (with its actual meaning long debated by… - [What does ‘wear your heart on your sleeve’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/wear-your-heart-on-your-sleeve): 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)… - [What does ‘have a heart of gold’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/have-a-heart-of-gold): 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… - [What does ‘get something off your chest’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/get-something-off-your-chest): 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… - [What does ‘a shot in the arm’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-shot-in-the-arm): 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?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/play-it-by-ear): To “play it by ear” means to improvise as you go, without a plan. The phrase comes from musicians playing without written score. Its… - [What does ‘cross your fingers’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/cross-your-fingers): 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… - [What does ‘by the skin of your teeth’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/by-the-skin-of-your-teeth): 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… - [What does ‘a stiff upper lip’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-stiff-upper-lip): To “a stiff upper lip” means to stoic endurance without complaint. The phrase became associated with British reserve in the 19th and 20th… - [What does ‘keep your chin up’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/keep-your-chin-up): 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… - [What does ‘a chip on your shoulder’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-chip-on-your-shoulder): To “a chip on your shoulder” means to a lasting grievance that makes someone easily offended. Brewer's records the American schoolboy… - [What does ‘turn a blind eye’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/turn-a-blind-eye): 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… - [What does ‘give someone the cold shoulder’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/give-someone-the-cold-shoulder): To “give someone the cold shoulder” means to deliberately ignore or snub someone. The phrase became common in the early 19th century after… - [What does ‘face the music’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/face-the-music): To “face the music” means to accept the unpleasant consequences of your actions. A 19th-century American idiom, said by some to derive from… - [What does ‘put your foot in your mouth’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/put-your-foot-in-your-mouth): To “put your foot in your mouth” means to say something tactless or embarrassing. A 19th-century idiom; Brewer's records the related 'put… - [What does ‘get cold feet’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/get-cold-feet): 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… - [What does ‘pull someone's leg’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/pull-someones-leg): 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… - [What does ‘cost an arm and a leg’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/cost-an-arm-and-a-leg): 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… - [What does ‘break a leg’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/break-a-leg): To “break a leg” means to good luck (especially to a performer). A 20th-century theatrical superstition, not in Brewer's 1898; wishing… - [What does ‘bite the bullet’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/bite-the-bullet): To “bite the bullet” means to endure something painful with courage. Brewer's notes the practice among 19th-century military surgeons of… - [What does ‘monkey business’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/monkey-business): To “monkey business” means to dishonest or mischievous behaviour. A 19th-century American idiom drawn from the antics of monkeys; not in… - [What does ‘a wild-goose chase’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-wild-goose-chase): 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… - [What does ‘take the bull by the horns’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/take-the-bull-by-the-horns): To “take the bull by the horns” means to confront a difficulty directly. The image is old and English proverbial; Brewer's records it… - [What does ‘the lion's share’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/the-lions-share): 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… - [What does ‘crocodile tears’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/crocodile-tears): To “crocodile tears” means to a false show of sorrow. Brewer's records the medieval belief, reported by Sir John Mandeville and others… - [What does ‘a snake in the grass’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-snake-in-the-grass): 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… - [What does ‘when pigs fly’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/when-pigs-fly): To “when pigs fly” means to never; something that will not happen. The 'flying pig' image as impossibility is proverbial in English… - [What does ‘the black sheep of the family’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/the-black-sheep-of-the-family): 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… - [What does ‘a red herring’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-red-herring): 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… - [What does ‘there are plenty of fish in the sea’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/there-are-plenty-of-fish-in-the-sea): To “there are plenty of fish in the sea” means to there are many other romantic partners available. A modern consolation idiom, likely… - [What does ‘a fish out of water’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-fish-out-of-water): To “a fish out of water” means to someone in an unfamiliar and uncomfortable situation. Brewer's records this simile as a long-standing… - [What does ‘a dark horse’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-dark-horse): 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… - [What does ‘straight from the horse's mouth’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/straight-from-the-horses-mouth): 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… - [What does ‘hold your horses’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/hold-your-horses): 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… - [What does ‘don't count your chickens before they hatch’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/dont-count-your-chickens-before-they-hatch): 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… - [What does ‘the early bird catches the worm’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/the-early-bird-catches-the-worm): 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… - [What does ‘a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-bird-in-the-hand-is-worth-two-in-the-bush): 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… - [What does ‘kill two birds with one stone’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/kill-two-birds-with-one-stone): 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… - [What does ‘a fly in the ointment’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-fly-in-the-ointment): 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… - [What does ‘the elephant in the room’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/the-elephant-in-the-room): 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… - [What does ‘a leopard cannot change its spots’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-leopard-cannot-change-its-spots): To “a leopard cannot change its spots” means to people cannot change their essential nature. From the Book of Jeremiah (13:23). Brewer's… - [What does ‘a wolf in sheep's clothing’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/a-wolf-in-sheeps-clothing): 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)… - [What does ‘curiosity killed the cat’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/curiosity-killed-the-cat): 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… - [What does ‘let the cat out of the bag’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/let-the-cat-out-of-the-bag): 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… - [What does ‘raining cats and dogs’ mean?](https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/raining-cats-and-dogs): To “raining cats and dogs” means to rain very heavily. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898) notes several folk explanations for… ## Optional - [Full excerpt corpus](https://bestidiomanswers.com/llms-full.txt): Short excerpts of every hub and answer with canonical URLs. - [AI instructions](https://bestidiomanswers.com/ai-instructions): Guidance for AI agents on citation, attribution, and the markdown-twin convention.