The History Of 17 Popular English Sayings That Don’t Seem To Make Sense

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Language is a living, evolving entity. Over time, it incorporates idioms and sayings from various cultures, historical events, and even peculiar habits. There are approximately 25,000 idioms in the English language. These sayings have become second nature for many of us, yet their origins are often mysterious.

Uncover the intriguing histories behind 17 common English sayings. From “close but no cigar” to “butter someone up,” you’ll discover how these expressions came to be and what they originally meant.

Close, but No Cigar

Have you ever participated in a carnival game? In the 1920s, cigars were often handed out as prizes in adult carnival games. The phrase “close but no cigar” emerged, referring to someone who fell just short of winning. It highlights the disappointment of being nearly successful but not achieving the goal.

You Can’t Have Your Cake and Eat It Too

This proverb means you can’t enjoy two incompatible things at once. The earliest recorded version, from 1546, puts “eat” before “have,” which some argue makes the meaning clearer—once you eat the cake, you no longer have it. Interestingly, the Unabomber used the older phrasing in his manifesto, which helped to identify him—quite a slice of history.

Mad as a Hatter

Contrary to popular belief, this phrase does not come from Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland.” Instead, it dates back to the 18th century when hat makers used mercury in the felting process.

Prolonged mercury exposure caused neurological damage, leading to erratic behavior among hatters. The phrase stuck, and now we use it to describe someone who’s entirely bonkers.

Bite the Bullet

Imagine having surgery without anesthesia. Soldiers in battle were often given a bullet to bite down on during painful procedures as a means to distract from the pain.

Rudyard Kipling first recorded the phrase in his 1891 novel The Light That Failed. Today, it means to bravely endure a painful experience.

Butter Someone Up

This charming phrase comes from an ancient Indian custom of throwing butter balls at statues of gods to seek favor. Over time, it evolved to mean flattery or praise to gain someone’s favor or goodwill.

Caught Red-Handed

In old English law, the only way to prove someone had illegally butchered an animal was to catch them with the animal’s blood still on their hands. Hence, being “caught red-handed” means being caught in wrongdoing.

Break the Ice

In the past, ships would get stuck in ice during the winter. Smaller boats called icebreakers were sent to clear a path. This saying evolved to mean anything that helps initiate conversation in social settings, making interactions smoother.

Bury the Hatchet

Native American tribes would bury a hatchet as a symbol of peace when they agreed to end a conflict. This powerful gesture now means to resolve differences and make peace.

Cat Got Your Tongue?

This peculiar saying has two possible origins. One theory involves the cat-o’-nine-tails, a whip used by the English navy for punishment. The pain was so severe that victims were left speechless.

Another theory is that ancient Egyptian kings would cut out the tongues of liars and feed them to cats. Today, this phrase is asked of someone who is inexplicably silent.

Give Someone the Cold Shoulder

During medieval times, hosts would give guests a cold piece of meat from the shoulder of mutton, pork, or beef if guests overstayed their welcome. It was a polite way to indicate that it was time to leave. Now, giving someone the cold shoulder means ignoring them.

Kick the Bucket

This phrase likely originates from the method of slaughtering animals. A pig, for instance, would be suspended by its feet on a wooden beam (the “bucket”). When the animal struggled or convulsed, it would kick the bucket. Thus, the phrase has come to symbolize dying.

Raining Cats and Dogs

One theory suggests that in 17th-century England, heavy rains would flood streets, carrying along dead animals. Another connects it to Norse mythology, where cats symbolize heavy rain and dogs represent wind. Today, we use this phrase to describe the heavy rain.

Rub the Wrong Way

Early Americans asked their servants to rub oak floorboards the right way. Rubbing them the wrong way could cause streaks and annoy the owner. Another theory is that it refers to incorrectly stroking a cat’s fur, irritating it. Now, it means to irritate someone.

Saved by the Bell

In Victorian England, people were sometimes buried with a string attached to a bell above ground in case they were mistakenly pronounced dead. If they were buried alive, they could ring the bell to alert someone. This is also where we get the term “dead ringer.” Now, being saved by the bell means narrowly avoiding an unpleasant situation.

Spill the Beans

In ancient Greece, participants used beans to vote, with white beans indicating approval and black beans disapproval. Spilling the beans accidentally revealed the confidential vote count. Now, spilling the beans means revealing a secret.

Steal My Thunder

This phrase originated from the playwright John Dennis, who invented a thunder machine for his play in 1709. When his play flopped, another theatre production used his invention without permission. He exclaimed, “They will not let my play run, but they steal my thunder!” Today, when someone steals your thunder, they take credit for something you’ve done.

Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve

In medieval jousts, knights would dedicate their performance to a lady by tying her token around their arm. This visible declaration of affection has evolved to describe someone who openly shows their emotions.

Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.

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