Do you use any of these?

Why do we say ‘kick the bucket’? Discover 12 idioms with morbid origins

We use a lot of strange phrases without thinking twice, but some have surprisingly grim origins. Ever say someone "kicked the bucket" or "bit the dust"? These everyday expressions sound harmless, but have more somber roots. Take a look at 12 of these idioms. Do you use any of these?

In 13th-century Britain, bakers risked losing a hand if they sold underweight bread, according to the Assize of Bread and Ale under Henry III. To avoid punishment, they often added a little extra to each order.

When selling 12 loaves, bakers would include a 13th—called a "vantage" loaf. This became what is now known as "a baker’s dozen."

Saying you're "as pleased as punch" sounds cheerful, but it has dark roots. The phrase comes from Punch from the Punch and Judy puppet shows, who gleefully committed violent acts.

Popular in 17th-century England, these shows featured Punch killing his family and others with a slapstick, laughing after each act.

The phrase "meet a deadline" might sound stressful today, but its origins are far darker. During the Civil War, the "deadline" referred to a boundary at Andersonville Prison, where Union soldiers were held.

This line, 20 feet inside the outer wall, was meant to prevent escapes. Any prisoner who crossed it was shot by guards in pigeon roosts. The term came from this deadly boundary, where crossing meant certain death.

Today, a "blockbuster" refers to a huge commercial hit, but the term originally described powerful bombs from World War II.

The British Royal Air Force used blockbusters, massive cylinders filled with explosives, capable of destroying entire streets. It wasn’t until 1957, nearly a decade after the war, that the term shifted to describe big entertainment successes.

The phrase "to bulldoze" someone means to force or bully them, but its origins are much harsher. First used in 1876, "bull dose" referred to brutally whipping or beating someone, similar to how a bull might be punished.

By 1880, "bulldoze" became a verb, and eventually, the heavy machinery designed to push through obstacles was named a bulldozer.

The word "sinister" comes from the Latin sinister, meaning "left" or "on the left side." By the 15th century, left-handedness was associated with evil, often linked to witches and the devil.

Because of this stigma, left-handed people were forced to use their right hands. Today, however, we know that being left-handed doesn’t make anyone sinister, and many renowned thinkers, like Leonardo da Vinci and Benjamin Franklin, were left-handed.

The Mad Hatter from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is famous for his colorful personality, but his madness has historical roots. In the 18th and 19th centuries, hat-makers, known as "hatters," often suffered from mercury poisoning due to their work with the chemical.

This poisoning led to mental deterioration, giving rise to the idea of the "mad" hatter, a term that Carroll cleverly incorporated into his character.

Today, "pulling your leg" means joking or fooling around, but it once had a much darker meaning: in 19th-century London, thieves would pull people’s legs to drag them down before stealing their belongings.

This tactic was commonly used by robbers, turning what is now a lighthearted phrase into a serious crime.

In the world of films, we often see characters drinking whiskey before a quick surgery or amputation. But in real battlefields, soldiers didn’t have that option.

One theory about the origin of the expression "to bite the bullet" suggests that, during painful medical procedures, wounded soldiers would literally bite down on a bullet—taken from the ground or from their own weapon—to help endure the agony without crying out.

The phrase "God bless you" after a sneeze has several theories behind it. One theory links it to preventing the plague, while another suggests it’s a way of ensuring the soul stays in the body during a sneeze.

The phrase "kick the bucket" means to die and has been used since the 18th century. One theory connects it to the Catholic tradition of placing a bucket of holy water by the feet of the deceased for mourners to sprinkle.

Another theory suggests the term comes from 16th-century England, where "bucket" referred to a beam. When animals were hanged for slaughter, they would kick the beam as they died, giving rise to the idiom.

The phrase "bite the dust" likely originated in the 19th-century Old West, referring to gunfights and battles. It paints a vivid picture of someone falling to the ground and biting the dust after being struck by a fatal wound.

Over time, the expression broadened, and now it simply signifies someone’s death or defeat, no longer tied specifically to gunfights.

Facts you didn't know you needed

Is the day longer for your pet? Mind-blowing facts you need to know

Adults often assume they already understand the world, but there’s always something new to surprise us! Did you know that clouds actually have weight? Or that the day is longer for some animals? And that’s just the beginning. From hidden functions of your organs to the true color of the universe, today you’ll learn 10 fascinating facts you probably never thought to ask, but will make you sound impressively smart in your next conversation!

Unlike humans, animals don’t experience a shared "present" in quite the same way. Instead, their sense of time is tied to the rhythms of their own bodies. For very small animals with fast metabolisms like parrots, hamsters, or guinea pigs, time actually seems to pass more slowly. In a sense, they live in slow motion because their faster-working nervous systems allow them to process sensory information at a fast speed.

What if someone commits a crime and tries to blame their identical twin? Have you ever wondered about that? It’s a valid question; after all, identical twins not only look alike, they also share the same DNA. But here’s the surprising part: if investigators check fingerprints, the innocent twin could be cleared. That’s because, despite their nearly identical DNA, twins have unique fingerprints, shaped by subtle genetic and environmental factors in the womb.

You’ve probably spent time lying on the grass, watching clouds drift across the sky. They look light, fluffy, almost like cotton candy, and it’s hard to imagine them as heavy objects. But the truth is surprising: clouds are incredibly heavy. An average cumulus cloud can weigh around 1 million pounds! That impressive weight comes from the billions of tiny water droplets suspended in the air. So, how do they float? It’s because each droplet is extremely small and falls very slowly, while rising warm air currents help keep the cloud suspended above us.

Most of us have a rough image of the world map in our minds. But we have something to tell you: most maps aren’t completely accurate. Because the Earth is a sphere, cartographers have to distort some areas to represent it on a flat surface. On Mercator projection maps, countries near the poles appear much larger than they really are, while countries near the equator look smaller in comparison. For example, Alaska looks about the same size as Brazil, but in reality, Brazil is nearly five times larger!

Most people don’t realize that there’s actually a name for the color of the universe. Strange, right? But it’s true! Astronomers who studied the light from thousands of galaxies discovered that if you blend all the colors from the observable universe, the result is a soft, beige-ish white shade, famously named "Cosmic Latte" in 2002.

With 50 states, there’s no shortage of variety in their names. Almost every letter of the English alphabet appears at least once, except for one: Q, which is completely absent. In addition to this, there’s another surprisingly rare letter: J. While it isn’t entirely missing like Q, it only appears in one state, New Jersey.

Although we don’t notice it, indeed, the Earth’s rotation is gradually slowing. This happens because tidal friction, caused by the Moon’s gravitational pull on our oceans, creates a subtle drag on the planet’s spin. As a result, days are getting longer, but very gradually: by only about 1.7 milliseconds per century.

Do you remember your last dream? Whether good or bad, dreams are a constant part of sleep, but not everyone experiences them in the same way. Deaf people who use sign language in their daily lives often communicate through signs in their dreams, too. Meanwhile, blind people tend to have dreams rich in sounds, smells, and tactile sensations, using these other senses to experience the dream world.

We’re used to seeing hippos covered in mud, splashing in water, or barely peeking above the surface. But here’s a surprise: hippos can’t actually swim! That’s right. Because of their huge, heavy bodies, they don’t float or paddle like most animals. Instead, they walk or run along the riverbed.

Can your brain really "eat" itself? Well, close, but not exactly. There’s a process called phagocytosis, carried out by specialized immune cells in the brain known as microglia. These cells engulf and remove debris, dead cells, and other unwanted material. But don’t worry; it’s safe! The mechanisms exist to protect, repair, and maintain your brain.