The Arts
Crime & Punishment
Animals
Past Lives
War & Weapons
100
While now used in a different sphere altogether, the original phrase, Hals-und Beinbruch, can be traced back to early German aviators, possibly during WWI, as a sort of reverse psychology.
Break a leg
100
Since the 16th century, legal and official documents have been bound by a ribbon making them often difficult to access.
"Red Tape.
100
One theory of this phrase's beginnings states that it may be a slow perversion of the Greek expression cata doxa meaning "contrary to experience of belief."
Raining cats and dogs.
100
During medieval times, women of the aristocracy were required to wear coiffures in public, only able to to this when they were back home and relaxing.
Let your hair down
100
The possible origins of this well known turn of phrase may have started with 17th century pirates who wanted to make sure they never ran out of ammunition by going into battle equipped with multiple guns and knifes.
Armed to the teeth.
200
The most likely origin comes from Sir Walter Scott's 1816 novel The Antiquary, where the first recorded version of this phrase turns up, itself a mistranslation of Scott's Latin Vulgate Bible:
"Ye may mind that the Countess's dislike did na gang farther at first than just a shewing o' the...."
....cauld shouther. (Cold Shoulder)
200
This word's literal meaning originated in the Middle Ages as a small, slit-like hole in a castle wall that men would fire their bows or musketeers through. The only openings in a seemingly impenetrable walls were these slits that only a child or small adult could squeeze through.
Loophole
200
As horses have alway been a prized commodity, there have always been dishonest people who would try to sell less than quality horses to potential buyers. However, anyone who know anything about horses knew that you could tell the age of the animal by doing this, thereby getting to the truth of the matter.
Straight for the Horse's Mouth
200
This phrase started around the turn of the century when the telegraph was getting off the ground. As the system required thousands of miles of wire to be installed, people thought the wires and poles looked like the strings used to train plants to grow.
Heard it through the grapevine.
200
Major General M.W. Ireland was the first to reference this saying in its current usage, initially referring to soldiers who lost their limbs and the rumor that circulated that this limbs arrived in these at hospitals.
Basket Case
300
Although this expression first appeared in Shakespeare's Othello, this saying originated from knights jousting to defend the honor of a woman in the King's Court, where, in medieval times, it was customary to wear the lady's colors as a show of loyalty.
Wear your heart on your sleeve.
300
An old English law stipulated that anyone who butchered another person's animal would be punished. The condition was that he would only be found guilty if he was discoed while still bloody.
Caught red-handed
300
This well known phrase originated from horseback riding. They would mount from the right, putting their foot in the stirrup and lifting their left leg over the saddle.
Get a leg up
300
While driving a coach in the Wild West, whomever was doing this was responsible for protecting the coach and its passengers from robbers.
Riding shotgun.
300
As anesthesia was not easily acquired during times of war or on the frontier, doctors would distract the patient from pain by asking them to do this. The first recorded written use of this phrase was in The Light that Failed in 1891.
Bite the bullet.
400
The false etymology of this phrase goes back to the way portraits were once priced--not by the number of people, but of these.
(Cost you) An arm and a leg.
400
Around the 1700's, pigs would be put into sacks for purchase. Fraudsters would also add less valuable animals to the bag to trick the customer, only being found out if this happened.
Let the cat out of the bag.
400
This saying may have stemmed from the use of hunting dogs when they hadn't noticed their prey had escaped.
Barking up the wrong tree
400
In 17th century France, these professionals used mercury resulting in poisoning causing irritability, shyness, and tremors leading to this phrase.
Mad as a hatter.
400
Fighter pilots during WWII, would runout of their ammunition during battle thus creating this "everything you've got" phrase.
Go the whole nine yards
500
(Religion, not Arts) In ancient India, a customary religious act involved devotees throwing this food that the statues of their gods as a way to ask for the gods' forgiveness and favor.
Butter them up
500
Before the UK passed its 1832 Anatomy Act, grave robbers supplied specimens for medical schools. After, when a raid occurred, teachers tended to do this so as not to have them confiscated.
Skeleton in the closet.
500
During the 17th century, hunters would train their dogs to follow the correct sent by placing this pungent smoked meat in trees to distract the dogs, so they would become used to ignoring irrelevant scents.
Red harring
500
During the 16th century, butchers would slaughter animals by hanging them on a wooden beam. When the animals were killed, many would have a sudden convulsion, causing them to do this and the phrase entered the vernacular.
Kick the Bucket
500
Admiral Horatio Nelson was a British Naval hero who was once sent signals from British forces to stop their attack on the Danish fleet. But Nelson raised the telescope to his eye, claimed he did not see any signal, and attacked the Danes anyway. He won the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801 and created this saying that is still in use today.
Turning a blind eye.