Fossil words are a fascinating part of the English language. They are words that have not completely died but are not longer used as a standalone word in their original sense. Instead, they only survive as part of idioms or other phrases. Most native English speakers understand the idiom but do not know the meaning of the fossil word it contains.
Here is a list of idioms that contain fossil words for you to enjoy! Find the origin of these fascinating words within the individual entries.
The very old word wedlock, meaning ‘the state of being married,’ is rarely heard today outside the idiom out of wedlock. The opposite phrase, in wedlock, is all but extinct. During the 1600s and beyond, wedlock was often used in other phrases, such as ‘fit for wedlock.’ Meaning of Idiom ‘Out of Wedlock’ Out of … Read more
In this fun idiom, druthers is an archaic word meaning choice or preference. To have one’s druthers is to have what would ‘one rather have.’ Or, in this case, ‘would ruther have.’ Often, in the 19th century American South, ‘I’d rather’ became ‘I druther.’ We see this use in Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer. Druther, short … Read more
The word kit is used in this idiom to mean ‘everything needed; all the equipment, supplies, etc. for a given task. It especially refers, in this sense, to the est of objects, tools, etc. that someone like a soldier might carry around. Caboodle was an Americanism with a similar meaning, often referring to an entire … Read more
The word betwixt makes this idiom redundant as betwixt is another way of saying between. Betwixt has been used in English since the 1500s. It is still heard today, if only in a poetic sense, but it chiefly survives in the present idiom, betwixt and between. Meaning of Idiom ‘Betwixt and Between’ To be betwixt … Read more
Dander is an older term for what we today call dandruff, the scale that comes from our scalps and sometimes comes off in visible white flakes or dust. Meaning of Idiom ‘Get Your Dander Up’ To get your (or one’s) dander up means to become angry or agitated; to lose one’s temper. It an also … Read more
Yore is a middle English word for ‘year.’ Today it survives in the idiom days of yore, an expression that is itself is archaic and rarely used, except in humor. Meaning of Idiom ‘Days of Yore’ Days of yore means the past, especially the distant past; days gone by; older times; former times; long ago. … Read more
The English word tarnation is a 18th-century expletive or mild curse that only survives in the idiom ‘what in tarnation.’ It was originally used as an adjective and adverb as a euphemism for damnation, hell, or, in modern times, damn. E.g., “That’s tarnation strange!” Meaning of Idiom ‘What in Tarnation’ What in tarnation is an … Read more
The English word shebang dates from the mid-1800s and is only preserved in this idiom. A shebang was originally a shanty or small and crude hut or shed made of boards. It’s origin is unclear. Meaning of Idiom ‘The Whole Shebang’ The whole shebang means everything; all the elements of something; every thing that is … Read more
Also: without more ado Meaning of Idiom ‘Without Further Ado’ The idiom without further ado means without more talk, activity, ceremony, etc. 1,2,3 Usage The phrase without further ado is often used in formal settings, especially gatherings in which speeches or awards are given, as a way to indicate that the time has come for the main purpose of the occasion … Read more
Meaning of Idiom ‘Spick and Span’ To be spick and span means to be very neat, clean, and organized; to be perfectly maintained and looking as if new. 1, 2, 3 Want to see more videos from Idioms.Online? Subscribe to our YouTube channel! Examples Of Use “My aunt, who always kept her house spick and span, used to annoy my … Read more