THE WEIRD AND THE WONDERFUL

Do You Know What These 10 Weird Expressions Mean?

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Language is complex and rich, but we often use it without even thinking about where our words and expressions come from. For example, have you ever thought about the origins of the idiom "upset the apple cart"? And what about "hit the hay"? Idiomatic expressions can be quite daunting, and we’ve gathered 10 of them to explore their meanings and origins. Continue reading if you want to find out, too!

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Quite a strong start, isn’t it? This idiom, with a vivid image and quite dark humor behind it, is simply amazing and it means to discard something valuable (the baby, one can only assume) along with things that are not wanted or valued (the bath water).

Origins are not so certain, but it is probably derived from a German expression ("Das Kind mit dem Bade ausschütten"), and it was first recorded in 1853 by a German-to-English translator.

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Have you ever had a perfectly laid plan with a well-defined course of action, only for it to derail, ruining everything? You could say someone "upset the apple cart."

That is what the idiom means: to obstruct or derail someone’s plan, especially if it is to hinder progress. In short, to spoil everything.

The phrase dates back to the 1700s and derives from a Roman phrase which originally was "upset the cart."

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You’ve had a long day, so you just want to get home, have a nice dinner, and get ready to hit the hay. Does that sound familiar? That is because this idiom is used quite frequently in everyday English, but have you ever wondered about its origins?

One can always say, "Go to bed," but the idiom is much more fun. And its origin is not metaphoric at all; it’s right there in the phrase. When beds weren’t accessible for everyone, hays (or sacks in the alternate version) were the bed of choice, hence this fun (but itchy) idiom!

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The good thing about idioms is that they usually don’t hold a literal meaning; just imagine chewing the fat! This idiom has to do with engaging in a conversation about trivial matters or small talk.

This phrase can be traced back to British English of the 1880s, and an alternate version is "chew the rag," although why any of these words were chosen to refer to gossip is not known. Maybe it has to do with how juicy fat can get; what do you think?

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When John Lennon wrote, "Imagine all the people living life in peace," we could easily say that it was just a pie in the sky.

A pie in the sky refers to that impossible thing one hopes happens. It refers to wishful thinking, and it is part of a larger chant: "Work and pray, live on hay, you’ll get a pie in the sky when you die." Can you guess who chanted this? It was a rallying song called "The Preacher and the Slave," composed by Joe Hill and sung by the International Workers of the World in 1911.

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Animals in idioms are a dime a dozen; there are hundreds of them. And this one mentions a goat, but it actually comes from the world of horse racing.

Before a race, goats were placed next to horses to make them feel calm. Now, when someone got someone else’s goat, that horse got agitated. So, you guessed it: to get someone’s goat means to make someone feel angry or annoyed!

If you think this one is crazy, wait until you read the next one!

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Try to leave aside the fact that a hat and cattle have absolutely nothing in common and think of that person who is always talking about the things they’ll do, but never actually do anything. That person is all hat and no cattle.

This idiom is quite popular and takes several forms. For example, the British version is "All mouth and no trousers," and you’ve probably heard the phrase "Much ado about nothing." They are all synonyms!

This one, in particular, refers to cattle ranchers and the typical hat they use, describing those cowboys who used the hat but weren’t actually cattle owners.

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Well, things are getting pretty creepy here, aren’t they? Fear not; this idiom is much milder than it seems!

Originating in the 17th century, when wealthy people wore wigs quite often, bandits pulled them over people’s faces to make the job of taking their pennies easier for them. In time, the phrase came to describe those who are easily deceived and taken advantage of. Here’s one we hope you never use!

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Please do tell us if you think otherwise, but we don’t think sliced bread is something to get crazy over, right? Well, in the 1920s, when sliced bread made its first appearance, it surely was a great thing. So much so it became an idiom!

What it means is simply that nothing so great happened after sliced bread, until the topic you’re discussing. For example: "Look at this article; it’s the best thing since sliced bread!"

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Let’s end this list with a cute idiom. Aren’t baby animals the cutest? Especially when they are around their mommies, and they lick their offspring to bathe them.

But why does the idiom mention the ears? Well, because that’s the last place to dry in a newborn. On a similar note, this cute idiom -which can be traced back to the early 1900s- is used to refer to people who lack experience or are immature. This one describes us all at one point or another, doesn’t it?

FLY AWAY WITH US

Let’s Take It To The Skies With These 10 Iconic American Aviators!

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To be able to fly has always been a shared dream of all of mankind. The very first humans must have longingly stared at the great blue sky with only one wish in their mind: to freely soar like a bird. And while a few daydreamers (ourselves included) still wait for the day we can sprout wings and fly on our own, the truth is that anyone alive in this day and age is now able to traverse the skies thanks to one of the most essential inventions of the 20th century: the airplane.

A really long time has passed from the Wright brothers’ first flight to the modern and comfortable airplanes we take today. Aviation history is filled with the tales of brave and unparalleled pilots who dared to reach new, previously unknown heights. So, we have decided to celebrate the accomplishments of 10 iconic American pilots with this article.

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We’ll begin with someone who is probably America’s most iconic pilot. Born and raised in the city of Atchison, Kansas, Amelia Earhart always had the adventurous spirit that would make her the first female pilot to cross the Atlantic. Alongside her sister Pidge, Amelia would often go around exploring her neighborhood, embarking on outdoor adventures that included climbing trees, riding sleds downhill, and collecting bugs.

Amelia found her love for flying in her 20s, during an exhibition flight held in the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto. According to biographers, a pilot dived at Earhart in an attempt to scare her, but Amelia held her ground, amazed by the power of that little red airplane. It is no wonder that Amelia would later nickname her iconic red plane her "Little Red Bus."

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Charles Lindbergh and his "Spirit of St. Louis" need no introduction: Lindberg’s nonstop flight from New York to Paris in 1927 marked a decisive turning point in the history of aviation. However, many of Lindberg’s accomplishments could have never been realized without the help of his wife and co-pilot Anne.

In 1929, the same year the couple married, Anne followed her husband’s steps and made her first solo flight. A year later, she became the first American woman to be granted a first-class glider pilot's license. Throughout the 30s, the Lindberghs explored and charted air routes, and became the first to fly from Africa to South America.

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The early history of aviation truly moved in huge leaps: Only 63 years separate the Wright brothers' first flight to Neil Armstrong stepping on the moon. In between these two milestones, one conducted by American pilot Chuck Yeager in 1947 stands out: it was the very first time an airplane was able to break the sound barrier.

The tale of how Yeager was able to accomplish this feat is one filled with difficulties. A 24-year-old pilot at the time, he was selected to test the high-speed capabilities of a new experimental plane. While this alone was a very dangerous task, Yeager broke two ribs a few nights before the accident but failed to report it out of fear of being kicked out of the experiment. On the day of the test, Yeager was in so much pain that he had to close the plane’s hatch with a broom handle. Nevertheless, the test was a resounding success, and Chuck Yeager became the first pilot to break the sound barrier on October 14, 1947.

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Known for her daring and dangerous air shows, Bessie Coleman earned many nicknames throughout her short life, like "Brave Bessie" and "Queen Bess". What’s more, Bessie is remembered to this date not only as a trailblazing pilot but also as a great source of inspiration to the African-American and Native American communities. At age 29, Coleman became the very first African-American and Native American woman to hold a pilot’s license.

Coleman learned to fly in Paris, where she took her pilot exam from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale. In 1921, she flew back to the United States on her own plane and became a media sensation overnight. Coleman sadly passed away from a plane malfunction during an airshow, at the age of 34. Nevertheless, her name and daredevil spirit are forever inscribed in the pages of aviation history.

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In 1942, naval aviator Edward O'Hare became the first American WW2 Naval ace pilot, after he single-handedly attacked a squadron of nine enemy bombers. Despite having limited ammunition, O’Hare was able to take down five enemy airplanes, earning him the Medal of Honor.

After this feat, O’Hare briefly served as a flight instructor before returning to combat in 1943. During an engagement with enemy planes, his airplane was shot down and was never found. In 1949, the city of Chicago decided to rename its airport to the "Chicago O'Hare International Airport", a name it still has to this very day.

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Besides being a business magnate, an aerospace engineer, a philanthropist, and a film producer, Howard Hughes was also an outstanding pilot. He set many world records during his lifetime, particularly air speed records, and won both the prestigious Harmon and Collier Trophies for his aviation exploits.

One of Hughes’ most remembered contributions to aviation history is his H-4 Hercules plane, also known as the "Spruce Goose." The Hercules is to this day the largest flying aircraft ever built, although it only made a single test flight in 1947.

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Just like Howard Hughes, American pilot Harriet Quimby was also known for her contributions to journalism and screenwriting. However, in 1911 Quimby achieved an incredible milestone for both aviation and gender equality: At the age of 36 years, she became the first American woman to receive her pilot’s license.

In 1900, the Quimby family moved to San Francisco, where Harriet began writing for several newspapers like the "San Francisco Chronicle." While attending an air show in Elmont, New York in 1910, she became interested in aviation, and a year later, she was granted a pilot’s license. One year after that, in 1912, Harriet Quimby became the first woman to successfully fly across the English Channel.

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American actress Susan Oliver has a long list of film and television roles spanning a career of thirty years: Most notably, she appears in the pilot episode of the quintessential science-fiction show, "Star Trek". However, Oliver’s other great love was flying. Her most prominent feat in this area was an odyssey that took her to Canada, Greenland, Iceland, and Denmark, becoming the fourth woman to fly a single-engined aircraft solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

Perhaps most importantly, Oliver’s aviation career is a story of overcoming fears: In 1959, she experienced a near-fatal accident that caused her to avoid flying, even if it meant losing job offers. However, thanks to the persistent encouragement of a friend, she became interested in personal airplanes and gained her private pilot certificate in 1966.

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Let’s step away from airplanes for just one entry, and focus on another impressive yet slightly different record-breaking aviator. In 2002, American pilot and businessman Steve Fossett made the first non-stop solo flight around the world, in any kind of aircraft. What’s even more remarkable is the type of vehicle Fossett chose for this endeavor: a 10-story high hot air balloon called "Spirit of Freedom."

Fossett’s adventure saw him leave Northam, Australia on June 19, 2002, and return 13 days later to Queensland. The flight was not without perils: The only component that survived the landing was the balloon’s capsule, currently displayed in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

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We’ll end this article at the very beginning of the history of aviation. In 1903, the town of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina became the landscape of an event that would change the world forever: brothers Wilbur and Orville made the very first controlled and engine-fueled flight on a heavier-than-air aircraft.

What’s curious about this milestone in aviation history is how short it was. After winning the right for the first flight in a coin toss, Orville took the "Wright Flyer" to the air for a 12-second maiden voyage, reaching a height of 120 feet at a speed of only 6.8 miles per hour. Regardless, the brothers (and soon, the whole world) knew how much of a titanic achievement this short flight was, and luckily recorded it on an iconic photograph now featured on the North Carolina state quarter.