Everyday expressions

Where does the phrase “close, but no cigar” come from? 8 idioms' origins

Image: Pisit Heng

Idioms are a rare breed, aren’t they? They confuse non-native speakers to no end, as they can’t simply be deduced from the meaning of individual words. After all, who in their right mind would accuse someone of stealing their intangible thunder? Or complain about having to burn lamp oil at midnight?

English speakers use these idioms all the time but rarely stop to figure out where they come from. If you were ever curious about how spilling beans might connect to confessing a secret, then this article is exactly what you need.

Image: Michał Mancewicz

The very literal origin of this idiom comes from the play "Appius and Virginia," written by English dramatist John Dennis in the early 1700s. For the production of his play, Dennis created a new method to imitate the sound of thunder. Sadly, "Appius and Virginia" had disappointing attendance and was canceled shortly after. However, Dennis soon after discovered that a production of Macbeth was using his thunder device, to critical acclaim. According to literary scholar Joseph Spence, Dennis angrily exclaimed, "Damn them! They will not let my play run, but they steal my thunder."

Image: Yohan Cho

This idiom has a surprising lighthearted aspect to it. While its meaning entails soul-crushing defeat, one can’t help but also imagine a Groucho Marx-looking character chewing on a big cigar. And this lightheartedness might not be completely accidental: After all, this idiom comes from the cheerful world of carnival games.

In the late 19th century, carnival games were targeted for adults, not children. Therefore, instead of handing out oversized stuffed animals of undefined species, winners might receive objects like cigars as prizes. The idiom "close but no cigar" was born from those players that almost won, but didn’t earn a prize.

Image: Tyler Hilton

The most widely accepted use of this idiom comes from America’s very own national pastime: baseball. In 1916, the New York Giants (now known as the San Francisco Giants) had an incredible winning streak of 26 consecutive games. The Giants believed that, if they were in the lead during the last inning of a game, moving a bag filled with extra baseballs off the field would secure their victory. They had "captured" the game in the bag. This team’s superstition has now evolved into an everyday idiom that means secured and complete success.

Image: Milada Vigerova

Picture this: You are at work, hanging by the water cooler, and you are trying to get your favorite coworker to reveal a piece of office gossip that promises to be huge. We have all been there, but did you know that by asking your coworker to "spill the beans", you might be referencing one of the very first instances of democracy?

The origins of this idiom are still debated, but the consensus is that it most likely comes from a voting system from Ancient Greece. This process involved placing colored beans in a vase (white for yes, black for no). Tallying up the votes would then literally require someone to spill the vase and count each bean that was cast.

Image: Ritabrata Das

Almost every student can attest to spending many sleepless nights burning the midnight oil in front of a seemingly endless pile of textbooks. While the origin of this idiom comes from oil lamps used in the 17th century, students all across the world still refer to this expression when talking about working late into the night.

The first known use of "burning the midnight oil" comes from a book written by English poet Francis Quarles in 1635. More recently, in 1972, country music legends Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner recorded a collaborative studio album titled The Right Combination • Burning the Midnight Oil.

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While turning a blind eye might make us think about that lenient schoolteacher who occasionally gave us a pass on our missing homework, the most commonly accepted origin of this idiom comes from the nautical world. Specifically, from the iconic 18th century British Admiral Horatio Nelson.

In 1801, Nelson led the British attack alongside fellow Admiral Sir Hyde Parker in the Battle of Copenhagen. Nelson, who was blind in one eye, received a flag message from Parker that urged him to retreat. However, Nelson believed that the British fleet should continue to push forward, so he held his telescope to his blind eye and pretended he hadn’t seen Parker’s message.

Image: Raimond Klavins

Weirdly enough, another unexpected nautical term has found its way into this list! While nowadays feeling "under the weather" means feeling ill, the origin of this idiom dates back to slang used by sailors as far back as the 19th century.

The term "under the weather bow" was used to refer to the side of the ship that was exposed the most during storms. Sailors would seek shelter in their cabins to avoid getting seasick, literally going under the ship’s deck to escape the weather. The first literary use of this term was by American author Donald Grant Mitchell in his 1855 book Fudge Doings. In the book, a character describes a nasty experience in a steamer as feeling "a little under the weather."

Image: Carlos Felipe Ramírez Mesa

Throughout the years, countless parents have repeated the same question to their misbehaving children at the dinner table: "Were you raised by wolves?" And, while the current intention of these parents is to highlight bad manners and improper etiquette, it might hurt their case to learn that several outstanding characters from myths and literature were, in fact, raised by wolves.

Perhaps the first and most famous story of children raised by wolves is that of the founders of Ancient Rome, Romulus, and Remus. In the myth, the brothers are abandoned on the bank of a river, where they are found and nurtured by a she-wolf, before being eventually adopted by a shepherd. Furthermore, the protagonist of Rudyard Kipling’s 1894 novel The Jungle Book is a boy named Mowgli who is raised in the jungle by wolves.

Spot the Clues

10 famous spies & detectives who made us love solving mysteries and uncovering secrets

Some wore funny hats, some carried magnifying glasses, and all of them knew how to keep a secret. If you’ve ever dreamt of being an undercover agent, or you’re fascinated with piecing together clues and solving mysteries, then this article is for you. From James Bond to Miss Marple, here are 10 unforgettable fictional spies and detectives who have kept us guessing for decades. Let’s uncover the characters, quirks, and clever tricks that made them impossible to forget.

"My name is Bond, James Bond" is one of the most recognizable introductions in pop culture. With the codename 007, he is the quintessential British fictional secret agent who redefined the spy thriller genre and fueled a global fascination with espionage.

Created by Ian Fleming in 1953, Bond is known for combining high-stakes intelligence operations, the latest technology that seemed almost futuristic, and exotic locations filled with glamour and danger. He has been portrayed by numerous actors over the years, with his larger-than-life persona standing out above all else.

Miss Marple is one of the most beloved amateur sleuths in literary history, created by the legendary "Queen of Crime," Agatha Christie. Living in the quiet, fictional English village of St. Mary Mead, Jane Marple first appeared in the 1930's novel The Murder at the Vicarage.

One of the most beloved things about Miss Marple is that despite her looking like a sweet, elderly woman who might be more interested in knitting than murder, she has an incredibly sharp intellect and a remarkable understanding of human nature. This allowed her to solve mysteries that baffle professional policemen by drawing brilliant parallels between serious crimes and seemingly insignificant bits of village gossip. Never underestimate the quiet lady in the corner.

You probably have a favorite. Sabrina, Jill, and Kelly, the Charlie’s Angels, revolutionized the detective genre in the 1970s by proving that crime-fighting could be glamorous, action-packed, and, above all, female-led. Originally portrayed by Farrah Fawcett, Kate Jackson, and Jaclyn Smith, the Angels became instant pop culture icons.

Working for the wealthy, mysterious, and never-seen billionaire Charles "Charlie" Townsend, this trio of private investigators used their sharp wits, martial arts, and high-tech gadgets to crack cases that baffled traditional law enforcement and the public for decades.

David Webb, better known by his alias, Jason Bourne, is a fictional CIA-trained operative and the central protagonist of the Bourne franchise, created by novelist Robert Ludlum in 1980.

He famously suffers from severe memory loss, triggering a desperate quest to discover his true identity while running from the very agency that trained him. He has unmatched hand-to-hand combat skills, is an expert at improvising everyday objects into weapons, and is highly adept at blending into crowds; abilities he doesn’t know he possesses until he needs them.

If you love solving mysteries, then there is no doubt you know this character, possibly even better than some of your friends. Holmes is the fictional London detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who uses logic and observation to solve seemingly impossible cases.

He first appeared in print in 1887 in A Study in Scarlet. Operating out of his famous residence at 221B Baker Street in London, Holmes is the archetypal genius sleuth whose methods helped shape the detective fiction genre forever. Also known for being moody, cold, and aloof, his friend Dr. Watson provided a more humane perspective, both within the stories and for the readers’ comfort.

Jessica Fletcher is the famous fictional mystery writer and amateur sleuth from the television series Murder, She Wrote. She is a bestselling mystery novelist who lives in the fictional coastal town of Cabot Cove, Maine.

She has some sort of curse, since murder follows her everywhere she goes, whether she visits friends or travels the world. Luckily, she uses sharp observation and logic to solve crimes before the local police do.

"It’s groovy, baby!" If what you’re looking for is solving crimes while having fun, Austin Powers, famous for saying this catchphrase, is the one. Powers is a comedic British secret agent and a hilarious parody of James Bond, created and played by actor Mike Myers.

Just like Bond, he works as a secret agent for the British government. The incredible twist is that he is frozen in the 1960s and wakes up in the 1990s. When he does, Powers keeps his 1960s clothes, slang, and wild personality, completely surprising everybody with his eccentricities. He may have been a terrible fit for the modern world, but that was precisely the joke.

Detective Columbo is a famous fictional television detective, played by Peter Falk, known for his old raincoat and brilliant mind. He worked as a Lieutenant in the Los Angeles Police Department.

The show ran from 1968 to 1978, with later television movies airing through 2003, becoming a fan favorite, especially for Columbo’s seemingly clumsy, forgetful, and endlessly polite manners that made suspects underestimate him. In the end, he would always turn back at the door to say, "Just one more thing..." before asking the question that could unravel the entire case.

Maxwell Smart, also known as Agent 86, is a fictional, bumbling secret agent from the classic 1960s comedy television series Get Smart, played by Don Adams, who won three Primetime Emmy Awards for his portrayal of Smart.

With unforgettable code names, Smart worked for CONTROL, a secret U.S. government counter-intelligence organization, while constantly fighting KAOS, an international syndicate of evil. Above all, he stood out from the rest because he turned the serious, high-stakes world of 1960s secret agents into a hilarious television comedy.

Hercule Poirot, created by writer Agatha Christie in 1920, quickly became a brilliant Belgian detective who relies entirely on his brainpower (his "little grey cells"), solving complex murders using extreme logic and psychology.

He also stood out for being very observant, sitting quietly to process facts rather than chasing clues outdoors. He was meticulous, orderly, and devoted to his routines. His distinctive look also makes him especially memorable, including his egg-shaped head, elegant clothes, and stiff, waxed mustache.