Amusing English # 25 - Origin of Idioms

Ever wondered where some frequently used idioms in the English language originated from? Here are some fascinating and sometimes bizarre history of some of the most commonly used sayings.

1. “Pull someone’s leg”

 

Definition: Joking or fooling with someone.

Origin: To pull someone’s leg had much more sinister overtones when it first came in use. It was originally a method used by thieves to entrap their pedestrians and subsequently rob them. One thief would be assigned ‘tripper up’ duty, and would use different instruments to knock the person to the ground. Luckily, these days the saying is much more friendlier, though being on the end of a joke might not always be fun.

2. “Bark up the wrong tree”

Definition: To make the wrong choice or pursue the wrong course.

Origin: When hunting raccoons for fur was a popular sport, hunting dogs were used to sniff them out of trees. Being a nocturnal animal, the hunting party had to work at night, and the dogs would sometimes end up choosing the wrong tree, or as the idiom goes, ‘bark up the wrong tree”. The term was first printed in a book by Davy Crockett in 1833.

3. "Bite the bullet"  

Definition: If a person bites the bullet, it means that they take whatever punishment they must in order to end something.

Origin: This came about during war times, probably the Civil War. With very little anesthetic available, patients were operated upon with nothing to numb the pain or to render them unconscious. A large number of these operations were amputations. The surgeon would literally saw off a limb. The patient was given a bullet to put in their mouth to bite down on when they felt pain. It was used to give the patient something to focus upon and probably also to cut down on screaming so as not to frighten other patients or disrupt the surgeon. Bullets were used simply because they were readily available and didn't break the teeth. So when a patient agreed to bite the bullet, they believed that the surgery was necessary despite the pain and just wanted to get it finished.

4. "It's raining cats and dogs" 

Definition: People say it's raining cats and dogs when there is a heavy rainstorm. 

Origin: This originates from the medieval times. People threw their trash out in the gutters. When their pets died, they were dumped in the same way. When a heavy rain occurred that flooded the gutters, the cats and dogs were washed out in the streets. So, a heavy rain came to be linked with cats and dogs.

5. "Pass the buck" 

Definition: This means to pass the responsibility onto another person.

Origin: This idiom's origins are from gambling circles. During card games, the dealer had a marker called a buck. It is thought that it was called a buck because it was usually a buck-handled knife. When the round of cards was over, the 'buck' was passed on to the next player, and so the responsibility of dealing was also passed on. Later, perhaps for safety reasons, the knife was replaced with a silver dollar. It is thought that this is how 'buck' became slang for a dollar. 

6. "Sleep tight" 

 

Definition: Sleep tight means to have a good night's sleep.

Origin: Bed frames used to be made from ropes. The ropes would get loose and made sleeping very uncomfortable. The ropes would have to be tightened each night in order to sleep well. So came about the saying to 'sleep tight.' 

7. "Who let the cat out of the bag?" 

 

Definition: This saying means that someone exposed a secret. 

Origin: Its origins are from street markets from medieval times. Chickens or pigs were sold tied up in a bag. But often, dishonest sellers would substitute cats for the chickens and pigs. If a customer opened the bag before the transaction was settled, they would realize that they had been cheated and the secret would be known. 

Pay attention to your conversations. You will be surprised how often you and others utter nonsensical idioms that actually have interesting history behind them!

Cheers!