Idioms and their origins

Every language uses sayings for giving advice or summarizing the principles and values of the associated culture. These sayings are called ‘idioms’. The English language is filled with idioms. Native English speakers love to use idioms to express themselves and add emphasis to their speech. 

Idioms can be a single word, a phrase or clause, or even a complete sentence. The figurative meaning of these expressions is separate from the literal meaning of the words they consist of. Although the literal meaning of many idioms may seem far removed from the situations they are used to describe, their origins are a lot more practical than they may appear.

Idioms are almost always colloquial or cultural. This article looks at the origins of some of the most common idioms in the English language today. As you will see, the origins are sometimes quite literal.

The navy

The saying ‘show your true colours’ refers to reveal who you really are, your true character. At one time, naval ships used to be identified solely by the colours on their flags to show which country or group they belonged to. Pirates would sail under false flags to trick other ships and then use the element of surprise to attack them. The saying ‘stick to your guns’ was a command given to sailors manning the guns on naval boats. It meant to stand firm and hold to your position, despite what the enemy was doing. They were expected to stay at their posts even when the boat was being attacked. Now, it use used to refer to standing up for your rights and beliefs under any circumstances.

Sports

Sports idioms are perhaps the most popular in society today. ‘The ball is in your court’ derives from the game of tennis, meaning ‘it’s your decision or responsibility to do something now’. The idiom ‘step up to the plate’ has its origins, perhaps quite predictably, in the sport of baseball and refers to taking responsibility. A politician, for example, that has done something wrong or is faced with a complicated problem might be expected to step up to the plate. ‘To get a head start’ means to start before everyone else. This idiom comes from horse racing.

Farming

Despite the fact that most people don’t live or work on farms anymore, many idioms have survived from an age when it accounted for a much larger slice of the economy. ‘Until the cows come home’ is commonly used refer to doing something for a very long time. Its advent is said to come from the fact that cows can stay out grazing for months on end since the fields are covered with grass until the season starts to change in autumn. This idiom is often (but not exclusively) used to imply an undesirably long wait, or even a pointlessly one. ‘We could talk about this problem until the cows come home’. 

The expression ‘to make hay while the sun shines’ was first used by mediaeval farmers to refer to taking the opportunity to do something when the time and conditions are right. It wasn’t possible to predict the weather for a long period of time, so activities like cutting, gathering and preparing hay had to be done while the conditions were suitable. The expression ‘don’t put all your eggs in one basket’ comes from the idea that if all your eggs are in one basket and the basket is dropped, all the eggs are lost. The expression was extended to life in general to mean ‘don’t make everything dependent on one thing’.

Hunting

Although hunting historically played a key role in the development of civilisation, it is now somewhat frowned upon by civilized society. However, its transition from necessity to sport to distasteful hasn’t impaired the widespread use of its idioms.

If you are ‘barking up the wrong tree’, then you've got the wrong idea about something or you are blaming the wrong person for something. If something or someone is ‘fair game’, then it is acceptable to target, criticize or attack them. A ‘shot in the dark’ is a guess at something that leans more towards hopeful than calculated.

Gambling

Idioms that derive from gambling arguably warrant their own extensive blog. They are as popular and pervasive as the activity itself. ‘Having the upper hand’ comes from card games and refer to having a more valuable combination of cards than the other players at the table. It is now more commonly used to mean having a better chance of winning or succeeding at anything than your opponents. The idiom ‘all bets are off’ is used to refer to agreements that no longer apply. ‘To win hands down’ refers to an easy victory. 

Post-renaissance

‘To get the sack’ means to be dismissed from your job. It comes from a time when tradesmen carried their tools around in a sack. If their employer was not happy with their productivity at the end of the day, he would literally ‘give them their sack’.

The ‘upper crust’ refers to the social or financial elite within society. At that time, bread was baked in stone ovens. The lower crust was inedible because it had been in contact with the oven floor and was too hard and dirty to eat. It was given to the servants to eat, while the upper crust was given to the lord of the manor and his family to eat, so they became known as the upper crusts.

‘Red tape’ refers to any trivial and needless delay caused by unnecessarily complex and time consuming activities. Red ribbon was once used by the civil service and legal profession to tie up bundles of legal documents. Before any official business could be done, the red tape had to be cut.

At Speakeasy, we use native-speaking teachers who have a very natural familiarity with the everyday expressions in the English language. Learn from the comfort of your own home with a native speaking teacher who makes you feel relaxed and confident. Take lessons from your office at lunch time or even while travelling abroad. As long as you have a Skype account and internet access, you can attend classes and study in an environment most convenient for you.

Visit our website for more information on our one-to-one courses www.speakeasy121.com

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