Our Old Sayings

 Our language is riddled with so many old sayings, maxims, axioms, platitudes, whatever term you hang on them that it is hard to hold a conversation without some of them entering into the exchange. Take these for instance: This isn’t my first rodeo, or make hay while the sun shines, or you’re preaching to the choir. As far as their meaning these are pretty self-explanatory. But there are other examples for which the original meaning or use has been lost.  

Some interesting and often-used expressions have original meanings that we have completely forgotten. Trust me, I didn’t know these meanings either. For instance, let’s “break the ice.” One of the places we use it occurs when there has been a rift and people aren’t communicating well. In reality it refers to the time of poor roads where ships provided a primary means of trade. When water in the ports iced over, small ice-breakers sailed out to “break the ice” so trade goods could be delivered.

Here’s one that’s been directed my way: “Cat got your tongue?” We hear it when we have a loss for words and can’t respond. Its original meaning does not have much meaning for us on the prairie.  My source said the English Navy used to used a whip called “Cat-o-nine-tails” to flog  rule breakers, and the resulting pain hurt so badly that the victims couldn’t speak.

We “turn a blind eye” when we want to ignore something. This goes back to the time of Admiral Horatio Nelson, the English naval hero, who had one blind eye. He exhibited a bit of what I’d call orneriness when he received the signal to stop attacking a fleet of Danish ships. He turned to his flag captain, Thomas Foley, and said "You know, Foley, I only have one eye — I have the right to be blind sometimes," and then, holding his telescope to his blind eye, said "I really do not see the signal!” He ordered the attack to proceed and whipped them badly.

“Go the whole nine yards” surprised me when I found it’s original meaning. We use it mostly to put our best effort forward, but it comes from the fighter plane days of World War II when the belts of ammunition for the machine guns in planes measured out to nine yards. If a pilot used the whole nine yards, he’d been presumed to have done his best in aerial combat. Speaking of that we can add “putting our best foot forward.” Shakespeare used it in one of his plays.

One dictionary definition of “Letting your hair down” means to allow yourself to behave more freely than usual and enjoy yourself. Maybe dancing uninhibitedly fits, but, of course, its meaning goes back to medieval times when women wore their hair with highly-gathered hairdos. After coming home from an event where they had primped to look their finest, they undid all the pins and let it tumble down for comfort.

Being “caught red-handed” is thought to date back to 15th century Scotland. At that time, it was very common for thieves to steal and kill other peoples’ livestock because it was easy to get away with the crime. It was a crime that was hard to prove unless the thief was actually caught in the act either with the animal or with the blood of the dead animal on his hands, hence the phrase “caught red-handed.” Of course, we apply it to cases where someone is caught doing something wrong.

Our daily language literally brims with these little sayings. I’ve been “given a cold shoulder” many times when I’ve been intentionally ignored or treated in an unfriendly way. Who knew it originated in the early 1800s when Sir Walter Raleigh wrote about it. It alludes to the custom of welcoming a desired guest with a meal of roasted meat, but serving only an inferior cold shoulder of beef or lamb to those who outstayed their welcome.  

 

The phrase "run of the mill" originated to describe uninspected goods produced by a mill. It later became an adjective to describe something as average or ordinary.  Handlers of livestock know about “gate run.” It means they run, say 30 head or more in the ring, sell them so much a head, you take as many as you want, but you can't pick and choose.

Mysterious words and phrases fill the English language leaving some wondering what that meant. I’m going to “hit the hay” originated in the nineteenth century when people slept on sacks stuffed with hay. Of course they wanted it fluffed up a bit by hitting and squeezing it, but it also helped to put the bugs on the run. 

Ask a young person about the “party line.” Some might not know, but then I guess their language is sprinkled with words and phrases for which I don’t have a clue.