Creepy lingo

You’ve said these (not so) innocent phrases your whole life: Learn more!

Image: Mathias Pinat

We toss out phrases like "bite the bullet" or "caught red-handed" without giving them a second thought. But some of our favorite everyday expressions began on battlefields, in prisons, and even on plague-ridden streets. Behind those cheerful turns of phrase are stories that range from weird to downright disturbing. Don’t worry, we’ll keep it light, but you might never hear these sayings the same way again.

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Before it described devoted fans or stubborn folks, "diehard" referred to soldiers who fought until their last breath. The term first appeared in the late 1700s to describe troops who refused to surrender. Today, it has lost its blood-and-battlefield meaning and simply signifies loyalty or persistence. So if you’re a diehard sports fan, you can safely keep your devotion on the couch instead of the battlefield.

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A rumor once claimed that "rule of thumb" came from an old law allowing men to beat their wives with sticks no wider than a thumb. That’s not true. The phrase actually originates from carpenters and brewers, who used their thumbs to make rough measurements before rulers were common. Over time, it picked up that false association, but its real roots are much less sinister and far more practical.

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These days, if someone is "pulling your leg," they’re joking around. But the phrase likely originated in 19th-century London, where thieves would trip their victims by tugging on their legs before robbing them. It wasn’t exactly harmless fun back then. Over time, the expression lost its sinister connotation and became something much friendlier: a playful way to tease without causing real harm.

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This phrase has one of the darkest origins on this list. In the early 1800s, enslaved people in the United States were sometimes sold "down the river" to plantations in the Deep South, where conditions were far harsher. It came to mean betrayal or being deceived, though given its painful history, it’s often considered best avoided today. There are plenty of ways to describe someone letting you down without echoing that dark past.

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In the old days, sailors being inspected had to line up perfectly, with their toes touching a marked plank on the deck. Failure to "toe the line" could result in punishment or extra duties. The phrase later took on a figurative meaning: staying within rules or meeting expectations. Today, it’s more about following office policy than avoiding a sailor’s scolding.

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For centuries, "hysteria" was wrongly attributed to the female body, particularly the uterus (from the Greek word hystera). Doctors once used this diagnosis for nearly any symptom in women, from sadness to laughter. By the 19th century, people began to understand that emotions were not tied to specific organs. Today, "hysterical" usually means someone is laughing uncontrollably or reacting with intense emotion, not suffering from an outdated medical myth.

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In the early 1900s, saloons would literally throw out freeloaders who came for the free lunch but didn’t buy a drink, rushing them to the door—a practice known as the "bum’s rush." Later, the phrase evolved into "bum rush," meaning to forcefully push in or overwhelm. These days, we might say a crowd "bum-rushed" the stage at a concert, but thankfully, no one is being tossed into the street.

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Centuries ago, when city streets were filthy and drainage was poor, heavy rain would sweep debris into the gutters—sometimes even animal carcasses. It’s believed that this grim sight inspired the phrase "raining cats and dogs." The image stuck, though thankfully the meaning softened over time. Today, it simply means it’s pouring outside, not that the sky is literally falling.

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Being "caught red-handed" originally referred to criminals literally found with blood on their hands after committing a violent act. The phrase first appeared in Scottish law in the 15th century. Over time, it took on a lighter meaning (thank God!), used for any kind of wrongdoing, big or small.

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Before anesthesia, soldiers in pain were given something hard to bite on during surgery. Guess what? A bullet. It was a way to endure unbearable pain in silence. These days, "biting the bullet" just means bracing yourself for something unpleasant, like paying your taxes or opening a stack of bills. The modern version is much easier on the teeth.

DECEPTIVE TERMINOLOGY

Watch your mouth! 10 words that sound like insults but aren’t

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Even if you consider yourself a skilled wordsmith, the English language can still catch you off guard. Some words that sound innocent are actually quite nasty, while others that might raise eyebrows are perfectly harmless and have entirely different meanings. For your convenience —and because they're quite amusing— we've gathered some of the foulest-sounding suspects in the dictionary. So, next time someone asks if you play the humpenscrump or whether you happen to be a ballhooter in your free time, don't rush to be offended. Read this article first!

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No, it doesn't mean anything even remotely related to what you are likely thinking. Fartlek is a Swedish term meaning "speed play." It refers to a training method used by runners that involves varying their pace throughout a run. This technique allegedly helps improve both speed and endurance, making workouts more dynamic and engaging.

That said, unless you're talking with a professional runner, we don’t recommend asking your friends or family if they fartlek daily.

Image: Dmitry Grigoriev

"Have you seen that pretty bumbass?" may sound questionable, but in reality, it’s a rather cute observation. Bumbass is an old dialect word from northern England that simply means bumblebee.

These mostly harmless and industrious insects are crucial for pollination and play a vital role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. So, the next time you spot a bumbass in your garden, you can refer to it by name, it won’t get offended and sting you!

Image: Joshua J. Cotten

It almost feels like it’s the perfect word to call someone annoying or obnoxious. But again, its real meaning couldn’t be further from that. A pontoon is a flat-bottomed boat or a floating structure used to support bridges, docks, or piers.

Curiously, the original word is derived from Old French, and it was spelled "ponton" until World War II when American engineers added an "o" to differentiate between the bridge itself (ponton) and the floats used to provide buoyancy (pontoon).

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You can almost imagine a vile and hunched creature, muttering incomprehensible things behind your back, but perhaps that's more of a hobgoblin. A slobgollion, on the other hand, is something entirely different.

In mining terminology, slobgollion refers to a watery mixture of ore and dirt. And while it might still sound somewhat unappealing, it plays a crucial role in the mineral extraction process by assisting in the separation of valuable metals from the surrounding material.

Image: Lena Kudryavtseva

Smearcase is an old term for a type of cottage cheese with roots in American German communities in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Baltimore. The word itself derives from the phonetic spelling of the German word Schmierkäse, which quite literally means "spreadable cheese."

You can still call someone a smearcase, I guess, but —especially if they are of German origin— they won't feel insulted in the least, though they might find you amusing.

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A haboob is a type of intense duststorm or sandstorm that occurs in arid regions, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa. The term originates from the Arabic word habūb meaning "to blow."

While the term might sound like something out of a fantasy novel, haboobs are a real and significant meteorological phenomenon that affect weather patterns and daily life in the regions they impact. Today, the term is even used to describe seasonal dust storms in Arizona.

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Klaberjass is a popular card game with roots in the Netherlands and Germany, known for its complex rules and strategic play. Also known as Bela, it is part of the Jass family of card games, which enjoys widespread popularity across Europe.

The name klaberjass comes from the Dutch word klaverjas, which combines klaver (meaning "clover," referring to the suit of clubs) and jas (which means "Jack"). In this game, players use a deck of 32 cards and strive to win tricks and score points through a mix of strategy and luck. Despite its unusual name, Klaberjass is enjoyed by many for its depth and the social interaction it fosters.

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Clatterfart is an archaic term for a gossip or someone who talks too much. If you know someone who can’t keep a secret and feels compelled to talk about everything, constantly, then that person is certainly a clatterfart!

Although it doesn’t sound too nice, it’s not necessarily rude, either. A clatterfart might simply be a person who enjoys conversing with others, albeit perhaps with too much enthusiasm and energy.

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Although it would not seem out of place in the mouth of an angry medieval tavern keeper ("Begone from mine tavern, ye filthy humpenscrumps!"), the term humpenscrump is not at all what it seems.

Actually, humpenscrump is a whimsical old English word for a sort of cruder version of the hurdy-gurdy, a popular medieval musical stringed instrument played by turning a hand-crank wheel that rubs against the strings.

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Kerfuffle means a commotion or fuss, especially one caused by conflicting views. It often implies a trivial argument that has been blown out of proportion, and it is a light-hearted way to describe minor conflicts.

While its modern form dates back to the early 20th century, it has older roots. The term is an alteration of carfuffle, a Scottish word that means "agitation" or more generally, the "state of being disordered or ruffled."