Idioms that are really about language changing shape over time: mishearings, puns, and words drifting from their original meaning.
26 idioms in this category
"To ingratiate yourself with someone through flattery, especially for personal gain."
Well Documented"A very long time."
Well Documented"A heated argument or dispute."
Well Documented"Enough space to move or act freely."
Likely Origin (Disputed)"A warning that being too inquisitive can lead to trouble."
Well Documented"Completely wild, crazy, or eccentric."
Well Documented"The real value or success of something can only be judged by trying it or seeing the results."
Likely Origin (Disputed)"Wait, slow down, or be patient."
Still a Mystery"To summarise or skip ahead to the point."
Well Documented"Worthwhile results require difficult or uncomfortable effort."
Well Documented"Completely and often suddenly in love, or in a state of reckless enthusiasm."
Likely Origin (Disputed)"To achieve two goals with a single action."
Likely Origin (Disputed)"What people do matters more than what they say."
Likely Origin (Disputed)"To assert authority firmly, refusing to allow something."
Well Documented"To reform your behaviour and start afresh."
Likely Origin (Disputed)"Neat, clean, and tidy."
Well Documented"Old, or past one's prime."
Likely Origin (Disputed)"Young, naive, and inexperienced."
Well Documented"At the last possible moment; just in time."
Well Documented"A self-perpetuating negative situation, where one problem causes another that makes the first one worse."
Well Documented"To be the dominant, controlling figure in a household or group."
Well Documented"Everything; the entire lot, with nothing left out."
Well Documented"To infer a hidden or deeper meaning from something beyond what's literally stated."
Well Documented"To improve your situation through your own effort alone, without outside help."
Likely Origin (Disputed)"To sense that something is wrong or suspicious, even without proof."
Well Documented"To want two incompatible things at once, typically to keep something while also using it up."