Anais John is an specialist in English Language and loves to share her expertise on online communities. Or that the whole nine yards refers to WWII machinegun ammo belts? It became popular in the 1950s, around the same time as “go ape,” so there may have been some association between apes, bananas, and crazy behavior. Origin: This originates from an old English law that ordered any person to be punished for butchering an animal that wasn’t his own. To avoid any trouble, grooms would ask their best friends to stand next to them during the ceremony so they would help during the possible battle. Origin: This idiom originates from a military term, warriors who had frozen feet were not able to rush into battle.

Meaning: Betray someone, especially so as to benefit oneself. Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2018, Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2013. Canaan Banana. Origin: In 18th century England the Riot Act was a legal document, that was read aloud in front of a crowd bigger than 12 people that were considered a threat to the peace. In catalan we say the same but it depens on the first foot that touches the floor, if you wake up "with your left foot" you'll have bad temper (or sometimes bad luck) for at least all the morning! However warfare rules dictated that the ships must show its actual flag before firing and hence, the ships would then display its true colors. Others explain as 'Please and Thank-You' as latter sounds like ThanQ and these words are vital for manners - so mind your Ps and Qs = mind your manners. I owned an earlier edition of this book and lost track of it some 30 years ago. The devout would throw butter balls at the statues of their gods to seek favor and forgiveness. Origin: Nothing to do with barging someone out of the way. By failing to come up to the scratch, one would default the match. In times gone by, an unwelcome visitor would have been given the cheapest and most common type of food: cold shoulder of mutton.

Origin: In hunting it’s often necessary to beat the underbrush noisily in order to flush animals out into the open.
In the UK we still use the phrase bigwigs though fortunately don't tend to wear them. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. The receiving country would send small ships to “break the ice” to clear a way for the trade ships.

I don't believe it. If you would like to support Wordorigins.org with your money, you can make a pledge on Patreon.

Origin: This was a customary religious act in ancient India.

I’m also engaged in updating and revising the older Big List entries, so you should start to see a steady stream of new and revised posts for various words and phrases. Search, watch, and cook every single Tasty recipe and video ever - all in one place. Meaning: Said to someone who remains silent when they are expected to speak. The emphasis here is on brevity; just a fling, no big deal. Sadly, his play wasn’t a success, but somebody had taken note of his clever invention. 5. Related words: An advocate is someone who calls (voc) others to help him (ate) support a cause or a person. Each door is filled with a surprise Pocket Pop! After this was done others would than catch the animals. If too many people were gathering and looking ready for trouble, an officer would let them know that if they didn’t disperse, they would face punishment. I also read that when a not so desirable person arrived at the hosts "castle", to show the visitor was not over welcome the host would not hold through the trouble of preparing a hot meal and five the left overs, a cold shoulder. Origin: This phrase refers to hunting dogs who chase their prey up a tree. Meaning: Used to claim the right to sit in the front passenger seat of a vehicle on a particular journey. After a feast, hosts in England would subtly signal that the meal was over (and it … Rather that not having inter-married with darker skin partners, it meant that these people did not have to work outside (like the farmers) and thus would not get their skin tanned by the sun. the study of word and phrase origins. (What a treat for the cats!

Please enter your email to complete registration. Phrases coined by Shakespeare - The Bard of Avon, he gave us more words and expressions than anyone else. Origin: During the middle ages, the condemned ones were taken through what today is known as Oxford Street to their execution. Meaning:Being severely reprimanded by someone in authority. This gesture showed affiliation and understanding between two territories. Several Native American tribes joined together as one nation so they could better defend themselves against a warrior tribe. This is bullshit. Is it not "resting on ones laurels"? Concise, surprisingly readable, weird, cool, unusual, and always interesting. Token is a very old word, referring to something that’s a ... 2.

Well this is the first one I've come across on this article that I can unequivocally say is true. Women didn’t shave their legs until the mid 20th century. Hence it was merely a flash in the pan. Bus token? Doesn't mean that is the origin of the expression to 'mind them'. From a method of making children's stockings, in which knitting the heel is called basket-making. Origin: To confuse their enemies, warships would use multiple flags. Great Shakespeare!

Taking the mickey or mick also came from micturation which is another word for urination or taking a piss. Not entirely true Mathias. I can't really conceive the idea of someone becoming violent due to opium consumption, but ok. The lord of the manor would receive the finest piece of meat, and the ones with a lower status would eat a pie filled with entrails and innards, which were also known as “umbles”.
The site has become a favorite resource of teachers of reading, spelling, and English as a second language. In Croatia we say "nose" instead of leg.

Meaning: A final drink before leaving a place. Currently she’s working with an online consultancy Essay Mall, supervising their editing panel. Origin: The warning that you can’t necessarily trust someone who appears kind and friendly on the outside is centuries old, dating back to the bible. Many idiomatic phrases are based on something people once did but don't do literally any more. The Curious Origins of 16 Common Phrases. Prime members enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and Kindle books. Unscrupulous ones would substitute a cat for the pig. Meaning: a large amount or quantity of something. Wow!!! There are still Punch and Judy shows now. Meaning: A person or thing that appears friendly or harmless but is really hostile. This was a polite way to communicate, “You may leave, now.”. Calendars will start shipping on October 15, but if you want a head start, go to Amazon to pre-order yours at a discount. The second version says that in 16th century England, houses had thatched roofs which were one of the few places where animals were able to get warm. How to Give Writing Feedback That’s Constructive, Not Crushing, 9 Powerful Writing Apps for Any Type of Writing Project. Origin: A variant of the once-popular game ‘high pranks’, which was a cross between dice and charades. Often, popular tales of a word’s origin arise. Origin: While buying a horse, people would determine the horse’s age and condition based on its teeth, and then decide whether they want to buy it or not. Origin: In the old days, commercial ships would often get stuck in frozen rivers during winter time, so smaller ships called “icebreakers” would come to clear a path to shore by breaking the ice. But in the 19th century, it was also a term for eating or drinking between meals, or in this case, a quickie. Thus, break a leg, was to go get paid. They get goosebumps from fever and chills as they shiver while sweating profusely and projectile barfing .

Please try again. The soapbox that people mount when they “get on a soapbox” is actually a soap box, or rather, one of the big crates that used to hold shipments of soap in the late 1800s. Fathom out (The) fat of the land. And in Italy, it's "ass". To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Whatever provision one made for one's journey was said to be 'for the road'.

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