A brief history of phrase finding…
The Phrasefinder website was established in 1997 by Gary Martin, who creates the Meanings and Origins section and Phrase A Week content. The site developed from post-graduate research into computational linguistics conducted in 1985 at Sheffield Hallam University, examining artificial intelligence applications for writing instruction.
The site originally provided "a searchable database of phrases and idioms called The Phrase Thesaurus," which leverages AI to improve search functionality.
Additional historical information is available on the timeline page.
Meanings and Origins
A section documenting phrase meanings and origins launched in 1998. This resource now contains "the origins of more than 2,400 entries – making it the largest such public reference on the Internet," according to the site.
How reliable is it?
The creators acknowledge that no reference achieves absolute definitiveness, but they prioritize verifiable accuracy using published reference standards. Research draws from two source categories: primary materials (newspapers, books, films, archives) and established references with strong reputations.
Key references include the Oxford English Dictionary, Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, and Partridge's Dictionary of Slang, supplemented by additional historical linguistic resources.
Discussion Forum
A discussion forum launched in late 1998, enabling public questions about phrase meanings and origins. The archive contains approximately 70,000 question-and-answer exchanges, primarily contributed by volunteer enthusiasts since 1999. The forum now operates as a read-only reference resource.