20 Famous Idioms: Why Do We Say That?

 

Have you ever wondered why we say things like, "Cat got your tongue"?  We use idioms (words that on the face of it make no sense) like this all the time.  But have you ever wondered what's the story behind them? 

 

Well, if so, you're in luck. Below are some common idioms and their origins from Boredpanda. 

 

Enjoy! (But take them with a grain of salt.) 

 

Cat Got Your Tongue 

(Said to someone who remains silent when they are expected to speak.) 

Two possible origins.  One is after the "cat-o'-nine-tails" whip that left the flogged recipients speechless.  Two is from the good old ancient Egyptian times when liars' tongues were cut out and fed to the cats. 

 

Caught Red-Handed 

(Indicates the person has been discovered in the act or just after doing something wrong or illegal.) 

In olden days if you butchered an animal that didn't belong to you and you were caught with blood on your hands, you would be punished. 

 

Raining Cats and Dogs 

(Raining very heavily.) 

Two origins.  One was Norse mythology. Two was in 16th Century England animals would hang out on the thatched roofs to get warm.  When it rained heavily the roofs would get slippery and the animals would fall off. 

 

Turn a Blind Eye 

(Pretend not to notice.) 

Naval hero Horatio Nelson would look through a telescope with his blind eye when he wanted to ignore his superior's signals ordering him to withdrawal from battle.  He would attack instead and be victorious. 

 

Put a Sock In It 

(Stop talking.) 

In the late 19th century people would stuff woolen socks in the horns of their gramophones (or record players) to lower the sound.  There were no volume controls. 

 

Sun of a Gun 

(A jocular or affectionate way of referring to someone.) 

In olden days, sailors would sometimes take their wives on long ocean voyages and if they gave birth it would be between the cannons on the gun deck as it was the most secluded area.  The child would be referred to as "a son of a gun". 

 

Best Man 

(A male relative or friend chosen by a bridegroom to assist him at the wedding.) 

In feudal days a rival Lord might try and break up the wedding and kidnap the bride for political reasons.  The grooms would ask their friends to stand by them at the ceremony in case of trouble and the friend closest to the groom was the Best Man. 

 

Steal One's Thunder 

(Win praise for oneself before someone else can impress.) 

In the 18th Century, playwright John Dennis made a machine that could mimic the sound of thunder for his play.  Someone copied his machine for another theater stole his thunder. 

 

Get One's Goat 

(Irritate someone.) 

Goats were placed in the stalls with racing horses to calm them down before a race. Rival horse owners would steal these goats, hoping to upset the horses and make them lose. 

 

Let the Cat Our of the Bag 

(Reveal a secret carelessly or by mistake.) 

Long ago farmers would sell piglets at market wrapped in a bag.  Shady ones would replace the pig with a less expensive cat and if the cat was let out, their fraud would be exposed. 

 

Blue Blood 

(Noble birth.) 

In the Middle Ages it was believed that those with pale skin (ancestors didn't inter-marry with darker skinned people or didn't work outside) were noble or aristocratic.  When you are really pale the veins stand out and they usually look quite blue. 

 

The Whole 9 Yards 

(To do everything that is possible.) 

During World War II, pilots had ammunition that was 9 yards long.  If they used all the ammunition on one target they were giving it "the whole 9 yards". 

 

Eat Humble Pie 

(Make a humble apology or accept humiliation.) 

In the Middle Ages there would be a huge feast after a hunt.  The lord of the manor would get the best pieces of meat.  Those of lower status would get a pie filled with entrails and innards ("umbles").  Eating this "umble pie" would signify their lower status and humiliation. 

 

Hands Down 

(Easily and decisively, without question.) 

From the world of racing.  The horse is so far ahead that the jockey can sit back, relax, and not even have his hands on the reins in order to win. 

 

Wolf in Sheep's Clothing 

(Something that appears friendly or harmless but is actually hostile.) 

From the 1611 King James version of the bible, Matthew 7:15: "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." 

 

Rule of Thumb 

(A broadly accurate guide or principal based on experience or practice rather than theory.) 

One origin is that in 17th Century England, Judge Sir Francis Buller ruled that husbands can beat their wives with a stick, provided that it is no wider than their thumb. 

 

Pleased As Punch 

(Feeling great delight or pride.) 

The 17th Century puppet show "Punch and Judy" featured a homicidal Punch who liked to kill people and would feel pleased afterward. 

 

Don't Throw Out the Baby With the Bathwater 

(Discard something valuable along with other things that are undesirable.) 

In the 16th Century most people bathed once a year and an entire family would share the same water.  First the men, then other males, then the females and finally the babies.  By the end the water was so dirty, mothers would have to be careful not to throw the baby out with the water. 

  

Go Cold Turkey 

(To quit something abruptly.) 

It's believed that during drug withdrawal that the addict's skin turns hard, translucent, and covered in goosebumps – just like the skin of a plucked turkey. 

 

Jaywalker 

(One who crosses the street illegally or walks in the road without regard to traffic.) 

Jay birds would become disoriented flying from forests into urban areas.  Things like city traffic would leave them confused and cause them to act erratically.