Common Phrases

Paint the Town Red: Meaning & Origin

Dawn was near, but the sky was still dark. The men who guarded the Thorpe End tollgate of the quaint British town of Melton Mowbray were getting ready to wrap up their shifts.

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Ad nauseam: What’s it mean and when should you use it?

The literal Latin translation of ad nauseam—pronounced ad naw-zee-uhm—is “to nausea” or “to sickness.”

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Carte blanche: What’s it mean and when should you use it?

Carte blanche is an idiom that functions as a noun. The phrase was borrowed from the French language, in which it literally translates to “blank document.”

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Cat’s in the cradle: What’s it mean and when should you use it?

The expression “cat’s in the cradle” describes a relationship in which one person doesn’t make enough time for the other.

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Duly noted: What’s it mean and when should you use it?

We define the expression "duly noted" and walk you through the ways in which it can be used.

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Et al: What’s it mean and when should you use it?

Et al is most commonly an abbreviation of the Latin phrase et alia, which means “and others,” with et being the Latin word for and and alia meaning others.

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Et tu brute: What’s it mean and when should you use it?

Et tu Brute? is among the most well-known quotations in English literature. Learn where ithe phrase comes from and how to use it.

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Hang in there: What’s it mean and when should you use it?

Has someone ever told you to hang in there? This article will help you understand this common saying so you can use it correctly when speaking and writing.

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Ignorance is bliss: What’s it mean and when should you use it?

Ignorance is bliss is both an idiom and a proverb. The phrase comes from the very end of the last stanza of a poem.

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Plead the fifth: What’s it mean and when should you use it?

Even if you didn’t go to law school or have never been part of a criminal trial, you’ve probably heard the legal phrase plead the Fifth. What does it mean?

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