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Phrase Origins

Idioms: Kid Gloves

To treat  (or handle) with “kid gloves” is a popular American phrase meaning to treat a someone or something with extreme tact or gentleness....

Idioms: Have One’s Cake and Eat it Too

To have one’s cake and eat it too is a popular English idiom meaning one can’t use something up and still have it to...

Idioms: Basket Case

The common phrase “basket case”, currently refers to a person who is helpless or incapable of functioning normally, especially due to overwhelming stress, anxiety etc. It’s original meaning comes from the US military immediately following WWI. The term...

Origins: The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread

Sliced bread was first sold in 1928 and advertised as “the greatest forward step in the baking industry since bread was wrapped”. This led...

Origins: Break a Leg

“Break a leg” is a well-known expression in theatre which means “good luck.” It is typically said to actors and musicians before a performance....

On Cloud Nine: Origin

One commonly cited origin of the phrase “on cloud nine”  is from the classifications of clouds defined by the US Weather Bureau in the...

Hair of the Dog: Origin

“Hair of the dog that bit you” is a colloquial expression most commonly used to refer to alcohol that is consumed to lessen the...
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