idioms

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notmyown

Senior Member
May 26, 2016
4,586
1,047
113
#1
did you ever wonder how certain idiomatic expressions began? i do. i wonder how in the world an idiom began being associated with a certain idea.
so please ask about any you find interesting, and hopefully answer any you can explain.

for instance, if it's a downpour, how did that come to be referred to as "raining cats and dogs" ?



hope i'm not the only word nerd.
word nord.
werd nerd.

;)
 
S

Susanna

Guest
#2
did you ever wonder how certain idiomatic expressions began? i do. i wonder how in the world an idiom began being associated with a certain idea.
so please ask about any you find interesting, and hopefully answer any you can explain.

for instance, if it's a downpour, how did that come to be referred to as "raining cats and dogs" ?



hope i'm not the only word nerd.
word nord.
werd nerd.

;)
What about "It's raining men"? lol
 

blue_ladybug

Senior Member
Feb 21, 2014
70,862
9,581
113
#4
I'll be a monkey's uncle.

What's that got to do with the price of tea in China?

I don't give a rat's (bleep). Have never understood that one. :confused:

Oh, for the love of a monkey/duck/donkey.

Never look a gift horse in the mouth.
 
R

Romans_6

Guest
#5
Etymology is very interesting, especially when studying the bible. For example, the old English word witchcraft(Gal.5:20) is translated pharmakeia in Greek. Pharmakeia is where we get the word pharmacy. There are many other English words that are derived from Greek words. I m not sure if Etymology(origin of words) was what you were posting about. Anyways, have a nice day!
 
G

Galatea

Guest
#6
I'll be a monkey's uncle.

What's that got to do with the price of tea in China?

I don't give a rat's (bleep). Have never understood that one. :confused:

Oh, for the love of a monkey/duck/donkey.

Never look a gift horse in the mouth.
We always said "What has that got to do with the price of rice in China?"

I can explain the gift horse idiom. When a person buys a horse, it is common practice to look ar his teeth to make sure he is a good purchase. If some one gives you a horse, you ought to not look it in the mouth- but just accept a free gift graciously.

It made me think about another idiom "Beware Greeks bearing gifts".
It goes back to the Trojan war. The Greeks built a wooden horse, and crept inside. They supposedly gave the horse to the city of Troy as a "let's make peace" present. When the Trojans took the giant horse inside the city walls, the Greeks waited until nightfall and then came out of the horse and attacked the city of Troy.
 
K

Karraster

Guest
#7
did you ever wonder how certain idiomatic expressions began? i do. i wonder how in the world an idiom began being associated with a certain idea.
so please ask about any you find interesting, and hopefully answer any you can explain.

for instance, if it's a downpour, how did that come to be referred to as "raining cats and dogs" ?



hope i'm not the only word nerd.
word nord.
werd nerd.

;)
An old timer once told me the meaning, which could be true..I don't know. So far I've found none better~She said it started out as "raining cats" then dogs were added just to stretch the truth a wee bit. Way back when, houses weren't always sealed up tight. Often materials weren't purchased, rather fashioned from what was available on the land. Wood shingles for roofs didn't last, sometimes would leak and flush out cats that perched on rafters, especially during winter when they sought a warmer place. Hard to imagine nowadays, living in a house that didn't have glass for windows, possibly a dirt floor, nevertheless, not all that long ago things were very different. Anyway, I like idioms too, good topic. :)
 

blue_ladybug

Senior Member
Feb 21, 2014
70,862
9,581
113
#8
Karraster, haven't seen you on here in FOREVER. :eek:
 
U

Ultimatum77

Guest
#9
Whenever people say

"For the love...."

I think it's a really stupid saying b/c for the love of what? If you're ticked/irritated you aren't loving anything lol at that moment....
 

breno785au

Senior Member
Jul 23, 2013
6,002
764
113
39
Australia
#10
Don't throw the baby out with the bath water - apparently in the olden days, the man had a bath first, then woman, older children then baby and the water was so dirty by the time the baby was finished you could throw it out with the water...
 

notmyown

Senior Member
May 26, 2016
4,586
1,047
113
#12
An old timer once told me the meaning, which could be true..I don't know. So far I've found none better~She said it started out as "raining cats" then dogs were added just to stretch the truth a wee bit. Way back when, houses weren't always sealed up tight. Often materials weren't purchased, rather fashioned from what was available on the land. Wood shingles for roofs didn't last, sometimes would leak and flush out cats that perched on rafters, especially during winter when they sought a warmer place. Hard to imagine nowadays, living in a house that didn't have glass for windows, possibly a dirt floor, nevertheless, not all that long ago things were very different. Anyway, I like idioms too, good topic. :)

i've also heard it attributed to the Greek "cata doxa' which means contrary to opinion or belief.
so that would make it raining harder than one imagined possible?? :confused:
 

notmyown

Senior Member
May 26, 2016
4,586
1,047
113
#13
Don't throw the baby out with the bath water - apparently in the olden days, the man had a bath first, then woman, older children then baby and the water was so dirty by the time the baby was finished you could throw it out with the water...
you're back!

hope you enjoyed your trip. we have a friend from Kenya (the island of Rusinga in Lake Victoria) who offered to take me in after our recent election. no matter who won. lol
 

notmyown

Senior Member
May 26, 2016
4,586
1,047
113
#14
say uncle!

i smell a rat.

Bob's your uncle (wot? lol)

cat got your tongue

as cool as a cucumber


insights? :)
 

breno785au

Senior Member
Jul 23, 2013
6,002
764
113
39
Australia
#15
you're back!

hope you enjoyed your trip. we have a friend from Kenya (the island of Rusinga in Lake Victoria) who offered to take me in after our recent election. no matter who won. lol
Lol no I'm not back yet just popping in because we just recently organised communications for our phones over here. That's awesome news sister, we are heading to Kisumu which is on Lake Victoria next week :)

Check my Kenya thread for updates :)
 

Utah

Banned
Dec 1, 2014
9,701
251
0
#16
did you ever wonder how certain idiomatic expressions began? i do. i wonder how in the world an idiom began being associated with a certain idea.
so please ask about any you find interesting, and hopefully answer any you can explain.

for instance, if it's a downpour, how did that come to be referred to as "raining cats and dogs" ?



hope i'm not the only word nerd.
word nord.
werd nerd.

;)
Great post! I think about the origins of certain phrases and just laugh, wondering how funny it must have been to hear them spoken for the first time.
 
G

Galatea

Guest
#17
say uncle!

i smell a rat.

Bob's your uncle (wot? lol)

cat got your tongue

as cool as a cucumber


insights? :)
Bob's your uncle comes from Victorian England. Apparently, Sir Robert Peel was big on nepotism, and employed a lot of relatives when he became prime minister. So, if somebody got a break, "Bob's your uncle!" meaning you didn't earn it, or lucky break.

I think..... Wikipedia might need to be checked to make sure I'm right. :)
 
W

wwjd_kilden

Guest
#18
Never look a gift horse in the mouth.
Means not to question gifts.
You can tell (well, I can't, but the pro's) the horses age by looking at it's teeth.
So the idea is that if someone gives you a horse, and you look inside it's mouth, you are suggesting you think they gave you and old (and potentially useless for work) horse.

- me haz useless knowledge skillzzz
 
W

wwjd_kilden

Guest
#19
We have an expression in Norway which is "Høy på pæra"
It means to "think you're something (special)"

høy = high or tall
på = on
pæra = the pear or (light)bulb
 

notmyown

Senior Member
May 26, 2016
4,586
1,047
113
#20
Bob's your uncle comes from Victorian England. Apparently, Sir Robert Peel was big on nepotism, and employed a lot of relatives when he became prime minister. So, if somebody got a break, "Bob's your uncle!" meaning you didn't earn it, or lucky break.

I think..... Wikipedia might need to be checked to make sure I'm right. :)
Wikipedia, the source of all knowledge :cool:

thanks for solving that! :)