The surprising origins of common phrases and sayings
Language is full of phrases and sayings that we use every day, often without giving a second thought to where they came from. Some of these expressions have fascinating origins that reveal a lot about history, culture, and human behavior. Let’s dive into the surprising stories behind some of the most common phrases and sayings we use today.
**Bite the bullet**
During old-style surgery when anesthesia was not available, patients were often given a bullet to bite down on to help them endure the pain. The idea was that the bullet would help them focus their mind and avoid biting through their own tongue. While it sounds horrendous now, this phrase has endured to signify enduring something painful or unpleasant with courage.
**Let the cat out of the bag**
This saying traces its roots back to the medieval marketplace, where merchants would often sell pigs in bags. Unscrupulous sellers would sometimes substitute a cat for a pig in the bag, and if a buyer was unlucky enough to let the cat out of the bag, they would reveal the deception. Now, it’s used to mean revealing a secret, often accidentally.
**Barking up the wrong tree**
Hunters and their dogs played pivotal roles in the coining of this phrase. If a dog chased an animal up a tree and continued to bark despite the animal escaping to another tree, it was considered to be barking up the wrong tree. This idiom now perfectly captures the essence of misguided efforts or false assumptions.
**Pulling someone's leg**
This phrase has a grim origin in the world of 18th and 19th-century London. Thieves developed the tactic of pulling on the legs of their victims to cause them to trip and fall, making it easier to rob them. Thankfully, the phrase has evolved to mean joking or teasing someone, usually in a good-natured way.
**Turn a blind eye**
Admiral Horatio Nelson is often credited with the origin of this phrase. During the Battle of Copenhagen, Nelson used his blind eye to look through his telescope and claim he couldn’t see the signal to ceasefire, essentially choosing to ignore orders. Today, it means to deliberately ignore something, usually out of convenience.
**Saved by the bell**
Boxing gave rise to this common phrase. When a round of boxing was coming to an end, a bell would ring to signify a break. If a boxer was on the verge of defeat but saved by the bell, they got a brief respite. Now, it’s used more broadly to describe any situation where one escapes dire consequences just in nick of time.
**Wake up on the wrong side of the bed**
In ancient Rome, it was considered bad luck to get out of bed on the left side. Therefore, if someone was in a bad mood, people would attribute it to
**Bite the bullet**
During old-style surgery when anesthesia was not available, patients were often given a bullet to bite down on to help them endure the pain. The idea was that the bullet would help them focus their mind and avoid biting through their own tongue. While it sounds horrendous now, this phrase has endured to signify enduring something painful or unpleasant with courage.
**Let the cat out of the bag**
This saying traces its roots back to the medieval marketplace, where merchants would often sell pigs in bags. Unscrupulous sellers would sometimes substitute a cat for a pig in the bag, and if a buyer was unlucky enough to let the cat out of the bag, they would reveal the deception. Now, it’s used to mean revealing a secret, often accidentally.
**Barking up the wrong tree**
Hunters and their dogs played pivotal roles in the coining of this phrase. If a dog chased an animal up a tree and continued to bark despite the animal escaping to another tree, it was considered to be barking up the wrong tree. This idiom now perfectly captures the essence of misguided efforts or false assumptions.
**Pulling someone's leg**
This phrase has a grim origin in the world of 18th and 19th-century London. Thieves developed the tactic of pulling on the legs of their victims to cause them to trip and fall, making it easier to rob them. Thankfully, the phrase has evolved to mean joking or teasing someone, usually in a good-natured way.
**Turn a blind eye**
Admiral Horatio Nelson is often credited with the origin of this phrase. During the Battle of Copenhagen, Nelson used his blind eye to look through his telescope and claim he couldn’t see the signal to ceasefire, essentially choosing to ignore orders. Today, it means to deliberately ignore something, usually out of convenience.
**Saved by the bell**
Boxing gave rise to this common phrase. When a round of boxing was coming to an end, a bell would ring to signify a break. If a boxer was on the verge of defeat but saved by the bell, they got a brief respite. Now, it’s used more broadly to describe any situation where one escapes dire consequences just in nick of time.
**Wake up on the wrong side of the bed**
In ancient Rome, it was considered bad luck to get out of bed on the left side. Therefore, if someone was in a bad mood, people would attribute it to