Language is rich with history and meaning. Often, the phrases we use daily carry a deeper, historical significance that we might not be aware of, and some have surprisingly dark origins. Here are 18 everyday phrases with unexpectedly grim beginnings.
Meet a Deadline
In our fast-paced society, ‘meeting a deadline’ refers to completing a task within a set timeframe. But during the Civil War, a ‘deadline’ was a real line drawn around prisons. If a prisoner crossed that line, the penalty was death – far more severe than missing an email response.
Diehard
Today, a ‘diehard’ is a devoted fan or someone who tenaciously sticks to a cause. Its origins are less pleasant – dating back to the 1700s, it described those who took the longest to die when being hanged.
Bite the Bullet
Now meaning to face a difficult or unpleasant situation bravely, the phrase originates from battlefield surgeries. Soldiers undergoing procedures without anesthesia had to ‘bite a bullet’ to endure the pain.
Saved By the Bell
This phrase, now used to mean a last-minute rescue from trouble, has roots in the 19th century when the fear of being buried alive was common. A bell was attached to coffins, which could be rung if someone was mistakenly buried alive.
Graveyard Shift
Working the ‘graveyard shift’ means working overnight. The term originates from a similar practice as ‘saved by the bell’ where people were stationed in graveyards at night to listen for any bells ringing from the graves.
Blood, Sweat, and Tears
Today, it symbolizes hard work and effort, but originally, it referred to the violent, bloody battles that soldiers faced, highlighting the physical and emotional turmoil they endured.
Blackmail
Currently meaning to threaten someone to extract something, ‘blackmail’ originated in the Scottish border during the 16th century. Farmers were forced to pay ‘blackmail,’ or rent in the form of goods or services, to bandits for protection.
Let the Cat Out of the Bag
Now referring to revealing a secret, this phrase comes from medieval marketplaces. Unscrupulous traders would try to pass off a cat as a pig, and the deception would be revealed when the ‘cat was let out of the bag.’
Skeleton in the Closet
Used to mean a shameful secret, this phrase dates back to a time when having a literal skeleton in one’s closet could indicate participation in illegal activities, such as body snatching for medical dissection.
Kick the Bucket
A colloquial way of saying someone has died, this phrase’s origin is debated but may come from an old method of execution where the victim stood on a bucket, which was then kicked away, resulting in their hanging.
Pulling Someone’s Leg
Today, it’s a harmless phrase meaning to joke with someone, but it originated from the practices of thieves in London who would literally pull a victim’s leg to trip them before robbing them.
Waking Up on the Wrong Side of the Bed
Used to describe someone in a bad mood, this phrase comes from an ancient Roman superstition. They believed that it was bad luck to get out of bed on the left side.
Breaking the Ice
Now meaning to initiate social interaction, this phrase dates back to when ships literally broke the ice to forge a path for other vessels.
Gone Haywire
Meaning something chaotic or out of control, this phrase originates from the early 20th century, when ‘haywire’ was used to repair farm equipment, which often resulted in a messy, temporary fix.
Mad as a Hatter
Used to describe someone acting crazy, it comes from the 18th and 19th-century hat-making industry, where hatters often suffered from mercury poisoning, leading to mental instability.
Barking Up the Wrong Tree
This phrase, meaning to make a false assumption or pursue a mistaken or misguided line of thought, comes from hunting dogs barking at the base of the wrong tree after the prey has moved on.
Pull Out All the Stops
Used when you need to do everything possible to succeed, it has origins in organ playing. Pulling out all the stops would allow maximum airflow, creating the loudest possible sound.
Steal Someone’s Thunder
Today, it means to take credit for someone else’s achievements. The phrase originated with 18th-century playwright John Dennis, who created a device for mimicking thunder sounds in plays. When others started using the device, he accused them of ‘stealing his thunder.’
Language continually evolves, and the phrases we use today are no exception. Their origins, sometimes grim or bizarre, provide a fascinating glimpse into the history and evolution of language and society. The next time you use one of these phrases, you’ll know the darker history behind your words.
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