Have you ever stopped to think about where some of our most common phrases come from? These little snippets of language, called idioms, often have fascinating and unexpected origins. Let’s dive into the stories behind ten everyday phrases.
Pull Out All the Stops
When you “pull out all the stops,” you’re making a huge effort to achieve something. But this phrase comes from a surprising place: the pipe organ. The “stops” are knobs that control the airflow to different sets of pipes, called ranks. Each rank has a pipe for every note on the keyboard. Pulling out all the stops means blasting air through every rank, creating an incredibly loud and unfiltered sound.
The figurative use of the phrase is credited to British poet Matthew Arnold, who used it in his Essays in Criticism in 1865. Since then, it’s evolved into the common expression we use today.
Put a Sock in It
Need someone to be quiet? Tell them to “put a sock in it!” This phrase, meaning to stop talking, likely originated in Britain in the early 20th century. The image is pretty literal: imagine stuffing a sock in someone’s mouth to silence them.
The phrase first appeared in print in The Athenaeum, a 1919 literary review, which defined it as “leave off talking, singing, or shouting.” It might also have roots in old war slang, or even refer to silencing a musical instrument by stuffing it with a sock.
Go Bananas
To “go bananas” means to become very excited or, conversely, very angry. Think of a crowd going wild at a concert, or someone losing their temper. You might even remember the Gwen Stefani song that spells out the word.
While the exact origin is murky, it may be linked to the 1950s slang term “go ape.” The connection between apes and bananas may have helped the phrase catch on. Some theories even suggest connections to mental patients eating bananas or people smoking banana peels… but those might be a bit too far-fetched!
Butter Someone Up
“Buttering someone up” doesn’t involve actual butter. It means flattering someone to get them to agree with you or give you something. The origin of this phrase goes way back to Ancient India, where people would toss Ghee butter balls at statues of gods during worship.
Ghee is clarified butter with all the water removed. These butter balls were meant to secure favors from the gods, like good fortune and health. Talk about a smooth way to get what you want!
Bite the Bullet
Imagine undergoing surgery without anesthesia. During the American Civil War, that was often the reality for soldiers. To cope with the pain, they would “bite the bullet.” Legends say that people facing capital punishment would also bite down on bullets.
Today, “biting the bullet” means stepping up, taking responsibility, and accepting the consequences. The first known use of the phrase as an idiom was in Rudyard Kipling’s book The Light That Failed.
Sleep Tight
“Sleep tight, and don’t let the bed bugs bite!” This bedtime saying is a common way to wish someone a good night’s sleep. “Sleep tight” simply means “good night.”
The phrase first appeared in print in Susan Bradford Eppe’s diary Through Some Eventful Years in 1866. By the late 1800s, it was widely used in Britain and America. Some believe it refers to the tightness of mattress strings, but it’s more likely due to the rhyme with “night” and “bite.”
Rule of Thumb
A “rule of thumb” is an approximate method based on experience. The origin is unclear, but it first appeared in literature in 1685 in a collection of sermons by James Durham. It also showed up in Sir William Hope’s The Complete Fencing Master in 1692.
Many believe the phrase comes from English common law that described the width of a stick (thumb width) that a man could use to beat his wife. No such law was ever proven to exist. A thumb’s width is also historically known as the equivalent of an inch in the cloth trade. Beer brewers have also used the thumb to estimate the heat of the brewing vat.
Son of a Gun
“Son of a gun” is a milder version of “son of a b**ch,” used to describe a mischievous or dishonest person. The phrase likely originated about 200 years ago to describe the son of a military man. The Royal Navy sometimes allowed women on their ships, unofficially, and kept records of births onboard.
If a child’s father was unknown, they were listed as a “son of a gun.” Eventually, all children born on board were known as such, and later, all children of a military man were identified this way.
Run Amok
To “run amok” means to go crazy while doing something. The term originated in Asia, meaning “a furious frenzy or rage leading to murder.” It comes from the Amuco, maniacal warriors in Malaysia and Java who were hired to attack and kill as many people as possible.
Captain James Cook documented his time in these parts of the world in Voyages in 1772, writing that “to run amock is to get drunk with opium… to sally forth from the house, kill the person or persons supposed to have injured the Amock, and any other person that attempts to impede his passage.”
Chow Down
When it’s time to “chow down,” it’s time to eat! The original meaning was literal: to swallow food down someone’s throat. The words were first seen together in a 1937 print of The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader.
The phrase “chow down” originated around World War II by the U.S. military. A story about life on a submarine was documented in The Hammond Times in 1942, stating, “‘Chow down, sir,’ a mess attendant in a white coat informed… Served on a navy blue and white china, we put away steak, potatoes, peas, and ice cream.”
So, the next time you use one of these phrases, you’ll know a little bit more about its fascinating past. Language is always evolving, and these idioms are a testament to the rich history behind our everyday conversations.
Which of these origins surprised you the most? Leave your comment below!
