Language Bites!: July 2013

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Peeping Tom

This phrase involves a streaker on a horse and a sneaky tailor with an eye for the women.

Booby Prize

Boobies? Yes, this word is all about birds, but not THAT kind of bird…

Clapped Out

This phrase has blood on its hands, so to speak, as it involves bloodthirsty hounds and an utterly cruel chase.

In the Bag

For this phrase we step into the British House of Commons and learn more about a certain velvet bag….

Plum Job

This phrase has nothing to do with fruit and everything to do with cockney slang.

To Get Your Goat

The racetracks of the US and dodgy bookies are the unlikely origins of this phrase.

To Jump On the Bandwagon

We travel to 19th century America for this phrase, and it involved conniving politicians and a good

old fashioned knees-up.

To Get Out of Bed On the Wrong Side

This phrase takes us back to ancient Rome and an odd superstition involving grumpy spirits and your bed.

Mumbo Jumbo

This phrase involves 18th century Africa, an intrepid explorer and some domestic ructions.

To Get Off on the Wrong Foot

This phrase is the result of an odd Roman superstition involving left-handed and left-footed people.

To Have a Skeleton in the Cupboard

Grave robbers, gore and the pursuit of knowledge gave rise to this 19th-century phrase.

Codswallop

What do an English inventor and Australian boozers have in common? This word. Click here to find out more.

Brass Neck

This phrase has it all: highwaymen, desperate measures to beat the hangman, and an incredibly inventive idea...

Phoney

The Irish language gave rise to one version of this word; American English gave us the current version. And it all rests on a dubious Irish reputation for dodgy jewellery.

To Give Someone a Break

This is a 19th century phrase that was made popular by members of the criminal community.

Storey

An odd interplay between storytelling and construction gave rise to this phrase.

To Leave No Stone Unturned

Take a trip into the world of Greek Mythology and visit a wise oracle to discover the origins of this phrase.

Gung Ho

An unlikely blend of Mandarin Chinese and a WWII American battalion gave rise to this phrase.

To Fathom Something

This is one of the many synonyms for "understand", and it involves pedantic sailors and good long rope.

Off the Cuff

An old sartorial tradition helped give rise to this phrase.

Bootlegger

C'mon, we've all bought bootleg CDs or books in Asia, haven't we? So you might be surprised to learn that the original term involved horses and long-necked bottles.

To Haul Someone Over the Coals

This phrase involves religious persecution, divine intervention and a plain old lucky streak.

To Be On the Wagon

The origins of this phrase involved horse and carts, drinking water and an unquenchable thirst.

To Throw Your Hat in the Ring

Back in the day when this phrase came to light, throwing your hat in the ring often resulted in some nasty bruises.

To Pass the Buck

What do a trophy horn, a sharp knife and a nervous gambler have in common? They all had a hand in the development of this phrase. Click here for the full story!

To Get Off Scot-Free

This is not a Scottish phrase, as you might expect. This phrase takes us back to a Scandinavian tax and ways to avoid it.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

White Elephant

We in Ireland have a fine collection of white elephants, but the one that gave rise to this phrase was an actual animal and lived in Siam.

This phrase takes us back to a man who was truly loathed in Ireland. A cruel tyrant and ruthless soldier, he was behind the door when good looks were given out. And he made unusual demands of his portrait painter.

Up the Spout

Have you ever seen something go up the spout? Your Celtic Tiger property investment, maybe? This particular spout goes back to the days of an unusual distribution system.

To The Bitter End

This phrase has nothing to do with flavour everything to do with sailing. Tune in to find out more.

To Chance Your Arm

We here in Ireland are well used to chancing our arm, aren't we? How fitting, then, that the phrase should originate here. Listen in to hear about feuding families, religious refuge, and one heck of a brave Irishman.

To Be Screwed

Apologies in advance, but this phrase isn't as lewd as it sounds. Back in the 19th century, when this phrase came into use, being screwed was an incredibly unpleasant experience, and one that mostly happened behind bars - prison bars, that is.

Three Sheets to the Wind

Listen in to find out what this phrase has to do with sailors, ropes and a sliding scale of drunkenness.

The Real McCoy

This phrase takes us to the US, boxing rings and an encounter in a bar.

To Be On Tenterhooks

This is a phrase that's often mispronounced as "tender" hooks. It's an interesting one though, and has its origins in wool production, of all things.

Not Enough Room to Swing a Cat

Thankfully, no actual cats were harmed in the development of this phrase. Sailors, though, weren't so lucky. If you like whips (and if you have a copy of Fifty Shades under the newspaper) then this is for YOU.

To Steal Someone's Thunder

You might know that Prometheus was the guy who stole fire from the gods. But did you know that in the 19th century a theatre director stole thunder from a playwright? No? Then tune in here to get the full story.

To Start from Scratch

Step into the world of medieval horse racing and some unusual sporting rules.

Spin Doctor

Remember the Reagan administration of the '80s? Well, Reagan's Star Wars programme helped give the English language this phrase.

To Spill the Beans

This phrase involves togas, togs and upwardly mobile Romans.

Slush Fund

The original slush fund was something that you could literally dip into. Mind you, it wasn't for the faint hearted. Click here for more.

To Rule the Roost

What do chickens, cockerels and feathers have in common? Well, none of them gave rise to this phrase. It comes, instead, from some odd 19th century domestic arrangements.

To Go Round the Bend

This phrase harks back to an unusual Victorian architectural style.

Roughshod

This phrase started when somebody decided horses needed winter tyres. And then it just got plain ol' nasty. Click here for more.

Rigmarole

If you've ever had to wade through the fine print on a contract you'll commiserate with the English king who was involved in the formation of this phrase.

Red Herring

Smelly fish, blood-thirsty hunters and clever saboteurs gave us this phrase.

Raining Cats and Dogs

This phrase involves an unlikely interplay between, cats, dogs and Norse gods.

To Pull the Wool Over Someone's Eyes

This phrase takes us back to the days of dubious men's fashions.

To Pull the Finger Out

This phrase does NOT involve a Dutch boy and a deluge of water, but it does involve gunpowder and some nimble soldiers.

Piping Hot

Sailors, musicians and steam. Roll up for a heady etymological mix!

To Pipe Down

Sailors, hammocks and an actual pipe all conspired to give us this phrase.

When the Penny Drops

That eureka moment we're all so familiar with takes us back to the days when places like Bray, Co Wicklow, were a magnet for thrill-seeking tourists.

To Pay Through the Nose

Yep, we've been doing it for years here in Ireland; whether it's property or bank charges, we're well used to paying over the odds for things. But you might be surprised to hear it all started with the Vikings armed with sharp knives…

To Have Someone Over a Barrel

Being over a barrel can hurt you or save your life. It depends if the barrel is on land or at sea.

Neck of the Woods

Why do we refer to a neighbourhood as a "neck" rather than, say, shoulder or leg? Well, to find out, you know what to do….click!

Murphy's Law

Ok, so we here in Ireland are often given credit for this dubious phrase. Alas, we didn't invent it. Click here to find out who did.

Money for Old Rope

Click here to find out what happens when sailors meet bookbinders.

Mickey Finn

A nasty item invented by a nasty Irishman in Chicago at the turn of the 20th century.

Loose Cannon

This phrase takes us to the high seas and the dangers of life under sail.

Limelight

Ah, chemistry. Without it, we'd have nobody hogging the limelight. Click here to find out why.

Less is More

During the Celtic Tiger years, we lived in a "more is more" world that was build on a construction bubble. How fitting, then, that this phrase also comes from the construction world, but from the brighter side. Click here for more.