Everyday phrases

Fighting the good fight: 10 old phrases still in use today

Image: Filip Andrejevic

It’s fairly reasonable to think that the military and maritime worlds are both pretty guarded environments, right? Don’t get us wrong, we are saying this with the utmost respect for both institutions. What we mean by "guarded" is that some things from these fields might be incomprehensible for any outsiders, "civilians" and "landlubbers" alike. However, it might come as a shock to learn about how many of the idioms that we say every single day come from military and maritime history. With that in mind, here’s our pick of the 10 idioms that come straight from the mouths of soldiers and sailors. Enjoy!

Image: National Library of Scotland

We’ll start with one that defined the lives of countless soldiers throughout history. The first use of trenches in warfare can be traced to the 7th century, but they became truly essential after the advent of firearms. Trenches became synonymous with wars fought in the 18th and 19th centuries, particularly the American Civil War and WWI.

In that sense, the phrase "in the trenches" refers to being in a difficult or demanding situation. This idiom is usually used to describe people on the frontline of a particular environment, like those working at ground level on a job or project.

Image: Boston Public Library

This one goes to any organized parent who might be reading this: We salute you and your ability to maintain order in a household filled with the chaos that children bring. In that sense, this idiom describes you perfectly: Someone who "runs a tight ship" is someone who keeps a keen eye on every small detail, with the sole purpose of preserving peace and order.

As you might have guessed, this idiom comes straight from the nautical world: A "tight ship" would be one running efficiently, with every bit of rope and sail accounted for. However, it is safe to say that its origins come from a firm and uncompromising captain and not from a loving yet strict parent.

Image: Roberto Catarinicchia

Swords and plowshares might not seem that similar, but according to this idiom, they are two sides of the same coin. The expression "to beat swords into plowshares" is actually more of a concept or a philosophy, which involves turning military weapons into peaceful civilian tools. In that sense, a deadly and grim sword once used for warfare can now become a symbol of progress and hard labor.

This idiom comes straight from the Bible, mentioned in the second chapter of the Book of Isaiah. It was famously referenced by President Eisenhower in his farewell speech and by President Reagan in the United Nations General Assembly.

Image: Amy Syiek

For a phrase with such a heavy meaning, the idiom "show your true colors" seems a little too colorful (no pun intended). After all, it conveys the betrayal of someone who pretended to be a close ally, only to double-cross you when the winds change. However, a little digging into its origins proves that this idiom perfectly represents this treachery, since it comes from particularly deceitful and colorful characters: Pirates.

The "colors" described by this phrase are actually the colorful flags flown by ships during the Golden Age of Piracy. During this time, it was common practice for pirates to show false flags to trick a would-be victim into approaching, only showing the true colors on their "Jolly Roger" flags when escaping was impossible.

Image: Mario La Pergola

Any babysitter tasked with "holding down the fort" doesn’t have it easy: Maintaining order in a household filled with children energized by sugar and late-night snacks is a challenge that only the bravest dare to take. In that sense, this idiom seems perfectly appropriate to such an important activity, as military history has shown again and again that forts tend to be strategically essential points during wartime.

Basically, anyone "holding the fort" is temporarily in charge of a household or job. Other prime examples of these unsung heroes are substitute teachers or assistant managers. In that sense, the origins of the idiom are pretty clear: One can almost imagine the struggling forces defending their fort from an enemy attack, eagerly awaiting the arrival of reinforcements.

Image: Nick Diamantidis

It sometimes takes the help and proficiency of someone more experienced to truly learn a skill. Think back on your first day at a new job: Did you have someone who took you under their wing and helped you learn whatever you needed to be more comfortable with your new responsibilities? In that sense, this next idiom can be a perfect description of those kind souls who helped us with their tutelage.

Someone who "knows the ropes" is someone who is particularly familiar with a certain situation or skill, and who has vast knowledge gained solely from experience. This idiom comes straight from sailors: As you might have guessed, the ropes described by the idioms are the many ropes used in sailing ships. Anyone familiar with the miles of ropes intertwined in this type of ship is definitively a sailor worth their salt.

Image: Todd Diemer

This one is slightly controversial since the origins of this idiom aren’t really from the military world. However, this phrase is so ingrained in military history that it felt weird not to include it. To "fight fire with fire" means to respond to an attack with an equal force, usually involving hostility.

Unsurprisingly, this idiom comes from firefighters, people known for their ability to fight fire. The origins of this phrase can be traced back to 19th century America, and from a firefighting practice that involved raising small fires to deprive larger and more dangerous fires of fuel.

Image: Jarrett Fifield

The meaning of the idiom "down in the Doldrums" is remarkably similar to "feeling blue" another maritime idiom: They both relate to a lethargic mood, usually associated with depression. Interestingly, while the word "doldrums" seems to describe an old-fashioned term for a ship section, it actually refers to an actual geographical region.

The Doldrums is a sailing region north of the Equator, characterized by its calm winds produced by the clash of two opposing wind belts. In that sense, sailing this area would represent a sudden halt to an exciting journey, that would understandably put any sealoving sailor in a gloomy mood.

Image: WEB AGENCY

This idiom is remarkably versatile: for example, you can be left "high and dry" by both a friend who doesn’t show up to an appointment, and by a demanding boss that leaves you to fend off a difficult project all by yourself. In any case, this idiom comes from seafaring sailors, desperately stranded whenever their ship was literally left "high and dry".

The origins of this phrase refer to ships stuck in dry land. If the ship was above the tide line and there was not enough water to move it back, then it would remain there until the tide rose, since the ship could be seriously damaged if it was removed without water.

Image: Bermix Studio

We’ll end with what’s probably the most uplifting idiom on this list. Anyone who fights the good fight is doing things right: Although this phrase is commonly used by the military, it applies to everyone doing their part in making their workplace, their home, or even the entire planet a better place.

Like other entries in this article, this idiom was first used in the Bible: This verse in particular calls all believers to "fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life". It became an everyday saying during the 19th century when it was first used in patriotic speeches and songs.

HARVEST SOME KNOWLEDGE!

Howdy, Folks! Did You Know These Ten Bountiful Farming Idioms?

Image: Frances Gunn

A quote often attributed to American author Herman Melville says: "They say you can’t make a living on farming, but doing anything else isn’t really living at all." We are pretty certain that anyone who has tasted the joys of farm life will at least partly agree with this mentality. Life in the countryside can surely be hard work, but the feeling of waking up to the first light of dawn shining over golden fields of hay can’t be compared to anything else.

Farms are truly the backbone of many nations, and their influence can even be seen in the way we speak. We have compiled ten of our favorite idioms based on farm life for your enjoyment. So make hay while the sun shines and take a look!

Image: Ryan Song

The year was 1990 and a family of animated yellow characters was taking the world by storm. At the peak of their popularity, The Simpsons were featured in any promotional object you could think of: coffee mugs, frisbees, and, most importantly for this story, t-shirts. Bart Simpson t-shirts were a staple of the early 90s, usually featuring the laidback enfant terrible saying his now iconic phrase: "Don’t have a cow, man!"

Whenever someone says this idiom, it usually means that someone is overreacting and should calm down. While its exact origins are not clear, they can be traced to at least the 1950s.

Image: Marylou Fortier

If, for whatever reason, someone decides to show their affection by gifting you an equine companion, you’ll be glad to have this idiom to teach you the proper etiquette for receiving such a gift. Don’t worry, no need to thank us.

This idiom means that you shouldn’t show ingratitude or a lack of appreciation after receiving a gift. Curiously, its first usage comes from the writings of St. Jerome, on which a Latin version of this idiom can be found. Apparently, the practice of looking into a horse's mouth was done in order to determine its age.

Image: Oliver Sharp

While it is fairly common, most people fail to address how heartbreaking this idiom is. After all, how adorable would a little piggy flying around be? But alas, that’s what this idiom mercilessly describes: a complete impossibility.

This idiom can be traced back to at least the 17th century: its first recorded use comes from a 1616 dictionary by lexicographer John Withals. Most famously, English author Lewis Carroll included it in his iconic book Alice in Wonderland.

Image: Anna Kaminova

A brief disclaimer: no donkeys were hurt in the making of this article.

Sometimes that chatty coworker who doesn’t seem to be able to stop talking seems like a menace. Well, if we take this idiom at face value, the danger of amputation seems to be a real possibility of being caught in an endless monologue about past holidays.

However, this idiom, which obviously means to talk incessantly, might actually be less violent than what it sounds. Some believe that it comes from Ireland, and that it originates from the fact that donkeys don’t usually sit down on their rear ends. In that sense, the phrase, which is a direct Gaelic translation, would actually mean talking so much that you made an exhausted donkey sit down.

Image: Ray Shrewsberry

We won’t blame you if you, like us, are not particularly proficient in using farm tools. Having said that, you are probably familiar with this idiom, which is defined by the Cambridge Dictionary as "a difficult situation to deal with."

Its origins date back to 19th century America, where a big portion of the population was a farmer or worked on farms. Interestingly, folk hero Davy Crockett used this idiom in his Tour to the North and Down East, written in 1835. In it, he states: "I never opposed Andrew Jackson for the sake of popularity. I knew it was a hard row to hoe, but I stood up to the rack."

Image: Crispin Jones

We understand if you aren’t as happy in the mud, but it can’t be denied that pigs seem to love it. The idiom’s meaning is fairly self-explanatory: it simply means to be extremely happy, enjoying a situation that brings joy to your heart.

Other variants for this idiom exist, and some can be traced as far back as the 19th century. According to these other versions, pigs are also happy in clover, puddles, or muck

Image: Anand Thakur

An idiom that means to face a difficult situation in a brave manner, to take the bull by the horns certainly sounds like the most dangerous idiom in this list. At the very least, this idiom does give a certain wild and exciting sense to that task you keep pushing back.

The origins of this idiom are certainly debatable. Many believe that it comes from Spanish matadors, although wrestling down a bull by the horns doesn’t seem like a standard matador practice. Most agree that it likely originated in American barnyards, and from a 19th century sport called "bulldogging."

Image: Timothy Eberly

This idiom brings to mind the image of an Old West poker table, on which a farmer decides to bet his entire farm on that poker of aces that certainly can’t lose. And while that might certainly be the case, the truth is that the origins of this idiom are uncertain.

Some believe that the meaning of this idiom, which is to take a substantial risk, comes from the fact that farm life involves a great deal of risk-taking itself. For farmers, choosing the best time to grow a crop or when to harvest it might mark the difference between profitability and financial ruin.

Image: Daniel Quiceno M

"Beef up" is a pretty common idiom that means to build up or increase something. You might be wondering what, for example, an airport that recently strengthened security has to do with adding cuts of cow’s meat. However, when put into context, this idiom is fairly straightforward.

Apparently, the phrase "beefing up" comes from American college students from the 1940s, who exercised in order to increase their mass. Therefore, to beef up would literally mean adding more muscle (or strength) to something.

Image: Michelle @Shelly Captures It

We’ll end this article with a tasty entry. Bacon is definitively a breakfast staple and, according to this idiom, a synonym for bringing money home. Nowadays, someone who can "bring home the bacon" is someone able to provide for themselves or their family.

Etymologists are not entirely sure about the origins of this phrase, but most agree that it originated in a 1906 telegram sent to boxer Joe Gans by his mother, in which she urged her son to "bring home the bacon" and win a difficult fight. Apparently, sports journalists were fascinated by this idiom and they quickly popularized it throughout their articles.