Bush league is an adjective that means amateurish, unprofessional, or the lowest level of professional activity. First appearing in 1906, it comes from the American sport of baseball, describing small-town baseball teams—teams not good enough for the minor or major leagues, which have teams from large cities. Bush, here, means rural (belonging to the countryside). The phrase is […]

The phrase, last but not least, means “last in a line or list but not least in importance”: I love you because you are smart, beautiful, and last but not least, funny. This phrase is used most often when introducing or thanking a list of people. We often say the name of the most important […]

This is a way of asking “How are you?” using the verb to fare. In this sentence, faring means more-or-less the same as doing in “How are you doing?” But it has a more literary style and therefore more serious connotations. To fare is an old verb in English, which originally meant to journey or to travel. For […]

This common phrase refers to a person who speaks for the rational, prudent action among people who are behaving irrationally. It is usually said in a context where a group of people are behaving or planning to behave in a destructive or foolish manner. The voice of reason opposes foolish behavior. It can also describe […]

The commonly used phrase, under the weather, means “(feeling) a little ill”—such as with a mild cold or a hangover. It cannot be used to describe serious illness. Researchers agree that this phrase came from the language of sailors. When a sailor on a boat feels sick, they must stay below decks, inside the boat, […]