An idiom is a phrase that has a figurative meaning, whereas
a phrase is a group of words that have a literal meaning. Idioms are
common linguistic expressions comprising of a group of words established by
usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words. We
have all been using them, often unknowingly e.g. over the moon, when pigs fly, burning
the midnight oil, because we are so used to listening to them. These
idioms however have very interesting stories behind their origin. I have, in my
previous blogs, told you about the stories behind several commonly used English
idioms.
https://surajitbrainwaves.blogspot.com/2022/07/the-story-behind-english-idioms.html
https://surajitbrainwaves.blogspot.com/2021/05/the-origin-of-common-english-idioms.html
https://surajitbrainwaves.blogspot.com/2021/06/the-origin-of-common-english-idioms-2.html
https://surajitbrainwaves.blogspot.com/2023/05/the-history-behind-some-english-idioms.html
Idioms are crucial to the progression of language. They
function in a manner that, in many cases, literal meanings cannot. Many linguists have
dedicated themselves to finding the origins of these idioms and they are called
etymologists. Today I will share with you the fifth blog on the etymology of
English idioms with the following examples:
Fat
chance
Meaning: We
use the expression “fat chance” to refer to something that is incredibly
unlikely. Bizarrely, and contrary to what one might expect, the related expression
“slim chance” means the same thing.
Example: “Donald Trump will again
become President?.” “Fat chance.”
Origins: The origins of this
expression are unclear, but the use of the word “fat” is likely to be a
sarcastic version of saying “slim chance”. A similar expression is “Chance
would be a fine thing”, which refers to something that one would like to
happen, but that is very unlikely.
Head in
the clouds
Meaning: Used
to describe someone who is not being realistic, the expression “head in the
clouds” suggests that the person isn’t grounded in reality and is prone to
flights of fancy. The opposite expression would be something like “down to earth”,
meaning someone who is practical and realistic.
Example: “He’s not right for the
Prime Minister’s post, he has his head in the clouds.”
Origins: In use since the mid-1600s,
the origins of this expression are unclear beyond the obvious imagery of
someone who is a bit of a fantasist (having one’s head in the clouds is clearly
impossible – or at least it was in the days before aviation!).
Driving
me up the wall
Meaning: This
expression is used when something (or someone) is causing extreme exasperation
and annoyance. A similar expression meaning the same thing is “driving me round
the bend”.
Example: “That constant drilling
noise is driving me up the wall.”
Origins: The saying evokes someone
trying desperately to escape something by climbing up the walls. However, it’s
unknown when it was first used.
Call
it a day
Meaning: This
means to stop doing something for the day, for example work, either temporarily
or to give it up completely.
Example: “I can’t concentrate –
let’s call it a day.”
Origins: The expression was
originally “call it half a day”, first recorded in 1838 in a context meaning to
leave one’s place of work before the working day was over. “Call it a day” came
later, in 1919.
Knight
in shining armour
Meaning: A
knight in shining armour is a heroic, idealised male who typically comes to the
rescue of a female.
Example: “He saved me from
humiliation – he’s my knight in shining armour.”
Origins: The phrase harks back to
the days of Old England, when popular imagination conjures up images of
chivalry and knights coming to the rescue of damsels in distress. Much of this
is likely to be Victorian fantasy, as this was a period when interest in the
legend of King Arthur and the Court of Camelot was high. The earliest use of
the expression was in a poem by Henry Pye in 1790, which referred to “No more
the knight, in shining armour dress’d”.
Know
the ropes
Meaning:
Someone who “knows the ropes” is experienced at what they are doing. “Showing
someone the ropes” means to explain to them how something is done.
Example: “The climate change action
lobby is looking towards Modi, he knows the ropes around here.”
Origins: This phrase has its origins
in the golden age of sailing, when understanding how to handle the ropes
necessary to operate a ship and its sails was an essential maritime skill. By
the mid-19th century it was a common slang expression, and it survives to this
day.
Larger
than life
Meaning: The
phrase “larger than life” refers to a flamboyant, gregarious person whose
mannerisms or appearance is considered more outlandish than those of other
people.
Example: “His colourful waistcoats
and unusual taste for headgears made him a larger-than-life character in the
local community.”
Origins: First recorded in the
mid-20th century, the phrase was famously used by The New Yorker to describe
wartime Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill.
Extend
the olive branch
Meaning: To
extend the olive branch is to take steps towards achieving peace with an enemy
(or simply someone with whom you have fallen out).
Example: “I thought it was about
time Putin went over the U.N and extended the olive branch towards Ukraine.”
Origins: This expression has
biblical origins, and was seen as an emblem of peace. In Genesis, a dove brings
an olive branch to Noah to indicate that God’s anger had died down and the
flood waters had abated.
Barking
up the wrong tree
Meaning: If
someone is “barking up the wrong tree”, they are pursuing a line of thought or
course of action that is misguided.
Example: “I’m certain that he is not
the murderer.” “I think you’re barking up the wrong tree. He was elsewhere at
the time.”
Origins: The saying refers to a dog
barking at the bottom of a tree under the mistaken impression that its quarry
is up it, suggesting that the phrase has its origins in hunting. The earliest
known uses of the phrase date back to the early 19th century.
In
stitches
Meaning: If
you’re “in stitches”, you’re laughing so hard that your sides hurt.
Example: “Mr. Bean was so funny – he
had me in stitches all evening.”
Origins: Presumably comparing the
physical pain of intense laughter with the prick of a needle, “in stitches” was
first used in 1602 by Shakespeare in Twelfth Night. After this, the expression
isn’t recorded again until the 20th century, but it’s now commonplace.
“I’ve got it in the bag”
Meaning: Secured success
Example: I’m not even worried
about the interview. I’ve got it in the bag.
Origin: Although there are other
recorded uses, the version of this idiom that has become so widely accepted
came about thanks to the old New York Giants (now San Francisco Giants)
baseball team. It began as a superstition. In 1916 the Giants had a run of 26
consecutive wins. A bag filled with 72 extra baseballs would be put on the
playing field at the beginning of each game. These balls were used to replace
any that were hit into the seats or any that became too dirty. The Giants,
during this crazy winning streak, fell under the impression that if they were
in the lead during the ninth (last) inning, carrying the ball bag off the field
would ensure their win because, according to the team, they had captured the
game in the bag.
Bee’s knees
Meaning: Excellence
or perfection. To be of the highest standards
Example: Have
you tried the gilawati kebab; it is bees knees!
Origin: In 1920s America there was a relatively short-lived trend
which involved the pairing of an animal with a body part. That craze spawned a
plethora of expressions including elephant’s adenoids, cat’s miaow, ant’s
pants, tiger’s spots, elephant’s wrist, eel’s ankles, and bullfrog’s beard just
to name a few. Today only three such expressions survived such as bee’s knees,
cat’s pyjamas, and dog’s bollocks
Burning ears
Meaning: When
someone is being talked about.
Example:
Vicky Kaushal’s performancr in Sam Bahadur is burning ears
Origin: In Roman times, it was believed that a tingling or burning
sensation in the ears meant that a person was being talked about by
others. The ancient belief that the left-hand side signifies evil and
the right for good also applies. Therefore, if a person’s right ear was burning
then he was being praised, but a burning left ear indicated that he is the
subject of evil intent.
Take the piss
Meaning: To
mock or tease.
Example: They
are always taking the piss out of him because he supports Modi.
Origin: One explanation for the
origin of this slang phrase comes from the canals in Britain. Before synthetic
dyes were invented, urine was collected and used in the process of fixing
dye to wool to create such colours as blue. Transporting urine to wool mills
wasn’t as lucrative as transporting wine, so when the boatmen were questioned
what they were carrying they would lie, saying “I’m taking wine”. Anyone
suspecting otherwise might ask if he was, ‘taking the piss’.
Up to scratch
Meaning: To be acceptable.
Example:
Hospitals were re-evaluated during COVID crisis and action taken if they found
not up to scratch.
Origin: In the early days of
boxing, there was no bell to signal the beginning of a round. Instead, the
referee would scratch a line on the ground between fighters, and the
round began when both men stepped over it. A contestant who had been knocked
down had to demonstrate that he was fit to continue by walking up to the
scratch. If the boxer wasn’t able to, he was considered unfit to continue the
fight, ‘not up to scratch‘. The fight was awarded to his opponent.
The
writing is on the wall
Meaning: A
clear sign that something unpleasant is going to happen.
Example: The
Congress is again losing the election, the writing is on the wall.
Origin: This phrase can be
traced back to the Bible. In the Book of Daniel, God punishes King Belshazzar
for indulging in a drunken revelry and degrading sacred temple vessels by using
them as wine goblets. God sends this hand to write the words ‘mene mene tekel
upharsin’ on the palace wall, which foretell Belshazzar’s downfall. Unable to
interpret the message, Belshazzar’s sends for Daniel to interpret
it. Belshazzar couldn’t see the obvious warning that was apparent to
others because he was so engrossed in his sinful
Get the sack
Meaning: Be fired from a job.
Example: He
was not a team player, no wonder he got the sack.
Origin: In the 1500’s, tradesmen
carried all their belongings and tools around in a sack that they would leave
in a safe place or in the boss’s office. At the end of their shift, they were
allowed to go in and pick it up. However, if the boss was displeased with their
work, he would literally ‘give them their sack’.
A bigwig
Meaning: An
important person.
Example: He
was an ordinary student leader in the university but after winning the
parliamentary election today he is a big wig.
Origin: In the 17th century,
wig-wearing was at its peak. It was fashionable for people to keep their hair
short, or even shave their head in order to wear a wig sporting a style that
they couldn’t grow naturally. Hair was sold by the strand and was very
expensive. While it was common to see the lower class wearing wigs with only
several strands of hair, the richer upper class were able to buy large wigs
consisting of thousands of strands of hair. The term ‘bigwig’ quickly
became associated with a rich person.
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