Category: English Phrase
Cut to The Chase Meaning Get to the point – leaving out unnecessary preamble. Origin This originated in the US film industry. Many early silent films ended in chase …
Cut The Mustard Meaning To succeed; to come up to expectations. Origin Why cutting mustard was chosen as an example of high quality is unclear. As always in such …
Cut Off Your Nose to Spite Your Face Meaning Disadvantage yourself in order to do harm to an adversary. Origin The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations lists this proverb as …
Cut of Your Jib Meaning One’s general appearance and demeanour. Origin The jib of a sailing ship is a triangular sail set between the foretopmast head and the jib …
Cut and Run Meaning Run away. Origin This term is the shortened form of the earlier phrases ‘cut and run away’ and ‘cut and run off’. It has been …
Charmed Life Meaning An existence that appears to be protected by extreme good luck. Example Shane came out of the motorcycle accident without a scratch he must lead a …
Charm the Pants Off Meaning Very charming. Example He showed on time up for dinner and charmed the pants off her parents. Origin This one is self-explanatory. Being very …
Charity begins at Home Meaning Be generous to your family before helping others. Example He spends hours on volunteer work and neglects his own children, forgetting that charity begins …
Chapter and Verse Meaning The precise authority backing up a statement or view; established rules for, or detailed information about something. Example You can’t withdraw your bet after you’ve …
Champ at the Bit Meaning To show impatience at being held back or delayed. Example The dismissal bell hadn’t rung, but they were champing at the bit to leave …