English forecast

Out of the blue and under the weather: 12 sayings with stormy roots

Image: Kir Simakov

Weather shapes more than just the land — it shapes language too! From "under the weather" to "every cloud has a silver lining," weather-inspired idioms reveal centuries of human observation, culture, and storytelling. Here, we explore 12 of the most colorful phrases that use the climate to express emotion, behavior, and fate.

Image: Greg Pappas

Originally a maritime expression, sailors used "under the weather" to describe seasickness or being knocked down by bad weather. The phrase eventually broadened to mean generally feeling unwell.

At the time, sickness was often blamed on stormy conditions, as exposure to harsh weather could make one weak. Today, it’s a common way to explain low energy or mild illness without clinical detail.

Image: Shashank Sahay

This phrase comes from John Milton’s 1634 poem "Comus", highlighting hope even in dark times. It likens clouds to problems, with sunlight peeking as a symbol of opportunity.

The idiom has been widely adopted in English literature and daily conversation. It encourages resilience, suggesting that difficult experiences often carry hidden benefits or lessons within.

Image: stelios theofilou

Originating in the early 18th century, playwright John Dennis invented a "thunder machine" for a play. Competitors later stole his idea, prompting Dennis to accuse them of "stealing his thunder."

Today, the idiom means taking credit for someone else’s idea or preempting their achievement.

Image: Dave Hoefler

Derived from meteorology, this phrase refers to unusually peaceful conditions before a severe storm. As an idiom, the metaphor emphasizes the often deceptive nature of calm periods.

There’s real science behind too! Meteorologists note that real storms are often preceded by a drop in wind and pressure, creating a brief lull before turbulence hits.

Image: Lili Kovac

First recorded in the 16th century, this phrase refers to abandoning prudence, likening "caution" to something thrown into unpredictable air currents.

The wind has long symbolized both freedom and risk in language and literature. Certainly, the metaphor’s vivid imagery has helped the phrase endure in English for centuries.

Image: Geetanjal Khanna

Originating in 19th-century American baseball, fans received "rain checks" when games were canceled due to weather. It guaranteed admission at a later date.

The phrase later expanded into general use, signaling a polite postponement or decline of an invitation.

Image: Lakindu Sepala

One explanation for the origin of this phrase dates to 17th-century England, where heavy storms often washed unfortunate animals into the streets. Another theory traces it to the Greek kata doxa, meaning "against what’s expected."

Today, it simply exaggerates intense rainfall. Its bizarre imagery has made it one of the most memorable English weather idioms.

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Linked to Irish folklore, rainbows were often thought to hide treasure or symbolize promise. The phrase metaphorically describes the pursuit of something unattainable.

Scientifically, rainbows form when light refracts through water droplets, a precise combination of conditions that makes them relatively rare and fleeting.

Image: Lydia Norstad

British in origin, the phrase compares intense disputes over trivial matters to a violent storm contained within the confines of a teacup.

Its absurd imagery warns against overreacting and points to how perception can easily magnify objectively minor events.

Image: Duncan Kidd

This military-inspired idiom compares rapid, forceful success to a sudden storm. It first appeared in the 18th century to describe swift battlefield victories.

The imagery captures the unstoppable force of a fierce stormfront. Today, it is used in politics, entertainment, and business to describe swift, wide-reaching impact or decisive victories.

Image: Sam McNamara

Never trust a fair-weather friend… this cautionary phrase compares fickle friendships to sunny weather, thriving only when times are good and disappearing at the first sign of trouble.

First recorded in the 1600s, the idiom warns against unreliable allies and remains common in modern vocabulary.

Image: Kumiko SHIMIZU

This idiom derives from the real phenomenon of lightning appearing from a seemingly clear sky, likening unexpected events to this rare meteorological occurrence.

The earliest recorded use in English dates to the 19th century, and it was often originally phrased as "a bolt out of the blue."

WONDROUS WORDS

Brabble, Gorgonize, Hagride: 10 Old English Words That Should Come Back!

Image: Andrew Seaman

The English language is vast and varied, the so-called universal language. And, like any other, it has undergone changes just as society has. In that process, many words and expressions are no longer accurate to represent our world and they fade away in use, leaving space for the new expression we coin.

It’s a pity so many amazing words have fallen out of use and gone into oblivion. But fear not, as we are here today with a list of ten words that we thought were worth bringing back! At least for you to read and have some fun!

Image: Afif Ramdhasuma

Let’s kick off the list with a word that describes something we all do, but don’t know it is called that. Imagine you’re on Instagram and you see that post from someone you don’t know but disagree with. Your first instinct is to comment in anger, although deep down, you know that’s pointless. You are, in short, brabbling.

"Brabble," which comes from the Dutch, means "to argue stubbornly about trifles". In its original language, it means "to quarrel or jabber," and its use was first noted in the 1400s.

Image: Alex Haney

Food is a source of happiness for most, who doesn't enjoy a plate of saucy pasta? Now, the enjoyment can quickly come to an end if you see someone groaking over you as you take the fork to your mouth!

The origins of this word are uncertain, but the meaning is superb: It means to silently stare at someone as they eat expecting to receive an invitation to join! Quite specific, isn’t it? And creepy if we might say so.

Image: Kinga Howard

When we think of the 1500s, we think of people getting up and right onto their chores, don’t we? This may be a surprise, but even back then, these people just wanted five more minutes in bed, and they had a word for it: slugabed.

Now, this term is compound and both aspects come from Middle English. On the one hand, "slug" means "lazy person". On the other, "bedd" is the old version of "bed."

Even phonetically, this word makes you want to stay horizontal, what do you think?

Image: Aleksandr Kadykov

This word sounds beautiful, but it may not be the case! Coming from the 1600s, "gorgonize" means to hypnotize or petrify, having a mesmerizing effect on someone, but not in a completely positive way.

The word comes from Ancient Greek and derives from the adjective gorgós which means "dreadful." If that word sounds familiar, that is because Gorgons was the name for the sisters with serpents on their heads, the ones who could petrify anyone who looked at them directly. We hope you’re not gorgonized by this word!

Image: Stephanie McCabe

This one has the vibes of an insult, or at least an adjective for when one is fed up with something, doesn’t it? Now, the context of "crapulent" is rather different: Can you imagine the feeling after you’ve had several courses in one meal or one too many drinks at a gathering? That’s when you feel crapulent.

The word can be traced back to the 1600s and it derives from a Greek word that means "hangover." If you take a close look at the word, you will notice that it captures its essence quite flawlessly!

Image: Lidia Nemiroff

This is a funny word with a literal and a metaphorical meaning behind it, and one that could easily adapt to today’s world!

Back in the 1500s, a "quockerwodger" was a wooden puppet with strings controlled by someone else. Can you see where the metaphorical meaning is going?

That’s right, the word also referred to someone, most times a politician, whose actions and thoughts were controlled or under the influence of other people.

Image: Joshua Hoehne

If one had to guess, "mickle" sounds like something small, but it is actually the opposite! The word "mickle" is synonymous with "big; large; a lot, etc." It refers to both size and quantity and it can be used in contexts like: "You are so nice, you must have a mickle of friends!" At the same time, it can be a standalone adjective like "a mickle storm."

It is both cute and versatile, so why don’t we bring it back?

Image: Javier Allegue Barros

Does this word sound familiar? That’s because the modern version of "betwixt" is "between," and this word is probably the oldest on this list, it can be traced back to 950!

Just like its modern version, "betwixt" has several meanings with a shared essence: "neither the one nor the other," to hold a middle position, to show options or indecisiveness.

This word is a true example of modernization of the language: Same meaning, different spelling and pronunciation.

Image: Uday Mittal

This word holds an interesting story for those intrigued by linguistic history. Rooted in witchcraft, it specifically described the old belief that witches would ride on brooms to cast hexes or inflict nightmares on unsuspecting victims.

Naturally, the meaning of the word derived and finally came to describe a personal torment and the reasons behind it. For example, "This project is really hagriding me!" This one is in for a reboot, the world today can get hagriding, don’t you think?

Image: Photoholgic

To close our article, we bring a word whose pronunciation does not do justice to its meaning. Picture this: It is a cold snowy winter day outside, but you can already see the sun, in all its glory, is coming out to warm your cheeks a bit. That is when you thank for the apricity of the day.

Dating from the 1600s, "apricity" refers to the warmth of the sun in the winter, and the definition alone can really paint a picture.