Why this dictionary exists
We use idioms constantly — "sent to Coventry," "cold shoulder," "bite the bullet" — without ever asking where they came from. Usually there's a real, often quite specific, story behind the phrase. Sometimes there isn't, and the "origin" everyone repeats is actually a myth that's been passed around so often it sounds like fact.
D.V.C.I. exists to separate the two: the documented history from the folklore, honestly and without pretending we know more than we do.
How we rate each entry
Every idiom in the repository is tagged with one of four honesty labels:
Solid primary-source evidence — a specific text, law, or event we can point to.
A leading, plausible theory with real supporting evidence, but historians don't all agree it's the whole story.
Nobody actually knows. We lay out the competing theories and let you judge.
The story everyone repeats doesn't hold up against the historical record — we explain what's more likely true instead.
Sourcing
Entries draw on the Oxford English Dictionary, Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, primary historical texts where they exist, and established etymology research. Every entry lists its sources. If you think we've got one wrong, we want to know — tell us.
New entries every week
This is a living repository, not a finished book. New idioms get added regularly, alongside short-form videos breaking down individual entries. The best way to keep up is the newsletter or the social channels linked in the footer.