Background Stories of Phrases Stilled Used Today (21 Phrases)

taloringer

Aug 4, 2018 3:00 PM EDT

We all say these phrases and we know what they mean, but how did it come down to this phrase? Why do we say things like rub the wrong way, and to butter someone up? Well, here are some phrases you know and how it happened.

01
Bite the bullet

via izismile

Meaning: to accept something difficult
Origin: In times before anesthesia, soldiers were told by surgeons to bite down on a bullet to help with pain during amputations.
02
Caught red handed

via izismile

Meaning: to be caught in the act of doing something wrong
History: In an old law, if a person was accused of butchering another man's animal, they had to be caught with the blood of that animal still on their hands.
03
Butter someone up

via izismile

Meaning: Flatter someone
History: Ancient Indian custom of throwing butter at statues of Gods to seek favor
04
Jaywalker

via izismile

Meaning: Crossing the street recklessly
History: Jay birds that travel out of forests and into cities often become confused and walk about erratically in streets
05
Kick the bucket

via izismile

Meaning: to die
History: A bucket was placed under a cow at the slaughterhouse before it was killed, and sometimes it would knock it over in its death throes
06
Cat got your tongue?

via izismile

Meaning: Said when someone doesn't know what to say
History: IN medieval times, liars and blasphemes would ahve their tongues ripped out and fed to cats
07
Spill the beans

via izismile

Meaning: Reveal a secret
History: In ancient Greek organizations, they would vote n members of certain organizations by dropping beans in cans. White bean for approval. Black if not. Sometimes clumsy voters would knock the cans over, spoiling the secret of the voting method.
08
No spring chicken

via izismile

Meaning: someone past their prime
History: New England chicken farmers sold their chickens in spring when they were in their prime. If a chicken wasn't sold then and tried to sold later, it was considered "no spring chicken."
09
Rub the wrong way

via izismile

Meaning: To irritate someone
History: Referring to colonial woodworkers who would dry-rub the oak against the grain
10
Blood is thicker than water

via izismile

Meaning: Family above all else
History: Ancient Middle Eastern cultures practices blood rituals that were actually more powerful than bonds between family. It also refers to the blood shed by brothers in arms who endured battle.
11
Sleep tight

via izismile

Meaning: sleep well
History: In Shakespearean times, mattresses were connected to the frames with rope and to make the bed firmer, one had to tighten the rope.
12
Go the whole 9 yards

via izismile

Meaning: to try your best
History: WWII fighter pilots had 9 yards of ammo, so if they used it all in a battle, they went "the whole 9 yards."
13
Pleased as punch

via izismile

Meaning: to be very happy
History: A 17th century puppet show for children called Punch and Jay featured a puppet named Punch who would always kill people, then feel very happy with himself afterwards
14
Go cold turkey

via izismile

Meaning: to quit abruptly
History: Refers to drug addicts having pale skin with goosebumps during withdrawals, like the skin of a turkey
15
Saved by the bell

via izismile

Meaning: to be rescued from an unwanted situation
Origin: Back in the day, they would accidentally bury "dead" people so often, they connected a bell with a string from the coffin leading to the surface so a buried victim could alert gravediggers of the mistake
16
More than you can shake a stick at

via izismile

Meaning: have more of something than you need
History: Farmers herded sheep by waving sticks. When they had more sheep than they could control, the phrase was born
17
Break the ice

via izismile

Meaning: Initiate a friendship
Origin:In old port cities, before trains or cars, large cargo ships would break through the ice during winter to allow smaller trade vessels passage.
18
Give the cold shoulder

via izismile

Meaning: ignore someone
History: In medieval England, it was actually a polite thing to do. To signal to guests it was time to leave, royalty would serve a cold piece of meat from the shoulder of beef or mutton.
19
Show your true colors

via izismile

Meaning: To reveal your true colors
History: Warships flew multiple flags to confuse enemies, but rules of warfare states they must show their country's colors before firing.
20
Rule of thumb

via izismile

Meaning: A common benchmark
Origin: 17th Century Judge Sir Francis Buller ruled it legal to beat a wife if the stick was no thicker than his thumb
21
Waking up on wrong side of bed

via izismile

Meaning: waking up grumpy
History: The left side of things was associated with evil. To prevent bad spirits, innkeepers even kept the left side of beds pushed up against walls.