Some sayings are a bit weird and often make us wonder where they originate from.
One has to be a proper genius to make their sayings stick throughout centuries.
It is fascinating how language works, don’t you think?
“A sight for sore eyes”
Jonathan Swift (you probably know him for Gulliver’s Travels) used the phrase in the 1700s.
The original quote was “the sight for you is good for sore eyes” and it was found in a work titled ‘A Complete Collection of Genteel and Ingenious Conversation.’
“Caught red-handed”
This saying dates back to 15th-century Scotland.
Caught red-handed has a pretty simple origin and it refers to being found with blood on your hands after having committed a crime.
“Waking up on the wrong side of the bed”
This is a Roman superstition.
They believed that positive forces await on the right side of the bed.
However, if you get out of bed on the left side, that results in some bad energy.
“Break the ice”
Throwback to the 17th century, writer Samuel Butler used the expression in the poem ‘Hudibras’
This read “…At last broke silence, and the Ice.”
“Crocodile tears”
This phrase originated from the belief that when a crocodile cries, the tears they produced are not emotionally driven.
Whoever said it first was a sassy individual for sure.
“Rub the wrong way”
The saying refers to cats, specifically rubbing their fur in the wrong direction.
There are some debates on the origin but the American understanding of it comes from Mary Hughes’ ‘Aunt Mary’s Tales.’
“Cold feet”
One of the earliest pieces of evidence for the phrase “cold feet” comes from poet Stephen Crane.
He released ‘Maggie: A Girl of the Streets’ and in it, Crane wrote, “I knew this was the way it would be. They got cold feet.”
Originally the saying refers to losing interest in something but today we use it in relation to backing out of engagements.
“Show your true colours”
Lowering your colours aboard a ship to hide your nation’s flag is a strategic move.
In battle, if you hoist your flag high after hiding it, you are showing your true colours.
Did you know the origin of these sayings? Let us know!
