Chew the Fat -Today this means to have a long friendly conversation with someone. This idiom has several possible sources as listed below. It is not clear which one is accurate. Discover, Share and help us Preserve our lost and forgotten stories. Become an Alabama Pioneers Patron Sailors, while of resting and conversing would chew […]
Tag: sayings
The idiom Raise Cain comes from the Bible
The idiom: RAISE CAIN comes from the Bible Cain was the first murderer according to scriptural accounts in the Bible – Genesis 4 – The biblical account, tells of how Cain and Abel, the two sons of Adam and Eve, bring offerings to God, but only Abel’s is accepted.Cain kills Abel in anger and is […]
Double-cross originates from signing documents
The idiom DOUBLE-CROSS means to trick someone. Centuries ago, when illiteracy was common, and a person was asked to sign a document, they’d do so by inserting an “X” in place of their signature. This was legal. However, the process was often done under pressure (at gunpoint) which meant that the signing party had no […]
DYK: He was taken back by the site
Did you know that “Taken back” is a nautical term. If the wind suddenly changed direction a sailing ship stopped moving forward. It was ‘taken aback’, which was a bit of a shock for the sailors. VINEGAR OF THE FOUR THIEVES: Recipes & curious tips from the past See best-selling books by Donna R […]
DYK: Why do we tell performers to break a leg before they perform?
DID YOU KNOW that “break a leg” comes from the superstitious age. It was once thought that jealous forces, always present, are only too anxious to spoil any venture so people looked for ways to divert the jealous forces. It was thought that a good luck wish would alert and provoke them to do their […]
DYK: It’s a shambles – what does it mean?
A shamble was a bench where butchers used to set to sell meat from. In time the street where meat was sold often became known as the Shambles. (This street name survives in many towns today). However because butchers used to throw offal into the street, shambles came to mean a mess or something very […]
DYK: Bites the Dust comes from Ancient Greece
The phrase BITES THE DUST – comes from Ancient Greece This phrase comes from a translation of the epic Ancient Greek poem the Illiad about the war between the Greeks and the Trojans. It was poetic way of describing the death of a warrior. REVIEWS: The exhilarating action & subplots keep the reader in constant […]
Chip on your shoulder originates in 19th century
The idiom: Chip on your shoulder means being angry about something that happened in the past. A ‘chip’ can be defined as a piece of timber, or wood. Depending on the amount and size, timber can be quite heavy, and oftentimes people carry heavy things on their shoulders. The phrase appears to have originated with a 19th […]
Wear your heart on your sleeve means to display your emotions
The phrase to WEAR YOUR HEART ON YOUR SLEEVE means you are displaying your emotions to everyone. This phrase could have derived from the custom at middle ages jousting matches. Knights are said to have worn the colours of the lady they were supporting, in cloths or ribbons tied to their arms. However, it was […]
DYK: What does Good as Gold really mean?
Today the phrase, Good as Gold, usually refers to a person or child being well-behaved and obedient. The phrase comes from the time when banknotes were first introduced they weren’t considered to be money in the sense we now think of them, but were promissory notes or IOUs. Gold or silver was real money as it had intrinsic […]