Keeping score of idioms

Which sport brought us the most sayings? The answer will surprise you!

Can you identify idioms that originated in sports? Maybe it’s trickier than you think. Sure, some expressions are obvious: Why else would we talk about "throwing a curveball"? But in this article, you might find a few sayings that you thought had other origins. Can you guess which sport has introduced the most expressions on this list? Let’s step up to the plate and dissect 13 sports idioms!

Gold is such a valuable material that "going for gold" appears valid in many different arenas. That very expression could have originated during the Gold Rush era, for example.

But the phrase became popular via repetition in sporting competitions. When athletes applied their full efforts to win first place, they were revered for "going for gold." Today, we use it for anyone striving for excellence in any discipline.

We have gotten very used to using "hands down" as an expression of certainty and hyperbole. "Chocolate ice cream is my favorite, hands down." But what did the hands ever have to do with it?

It traces back to horse racing. When a jockey was far ahead in a race, they would relax their grip on the reins and lower their hands: In short, a certain win. Over time, "hands down" became a term to emphasize something as undeniably the best or easiest.

You can’t be blamed for thinking that a "full-court press" was some sort of judicial strategy. But it isn’t; The court here refers to a basketball game.

It’s a tactic that involves the defending team advancing and disrupting the opponent’s play, applying pressure across the entire court. That’s why we use this expression for all-out team efforts to achieve something, be it in business, politics, or personal matters.

In baseball, a "curveball" is a pitch that spins and curves unpredictably. Basically, a batter’s nightmare, because it is designed to catch them off guard and make them miss.

The dramatic image of facing an obstacle set up by the competition clicked with people. So they started using the expression "being thrown a curveball" when something tricky or unexpected was coming their way.

When you hear that someone "won by a nose," do you picture two human faces lunging for a finish line? You may have, but that’s not the precise origin of the idiom.

It comes from horse racing, where a horse’s snout is really the first part of him (and his rider) to cross the line. Today, we use it for scenarios where we win what we want by a small margin. Like getting to our flight right before the gates close!

A frustrated chef in a cooking competition might also "throw in the towel," but that’s not the origin of this metaphor for surrender. This saying, like so many others, comes from boxing.

When a boxer is taking a beating and can't continue, a dramatic way for the trainer to interrupt or surrender the game would be to throw a towel into the ring. The image has evolved to stand for any form of surrender.

In American football and rugby, you have to catch and hold on to the ball if you want to keep the game alive. Let the ball slip from your hands and you’ll also be letting the rest of your team down.

That’s the origin of the expression. Dropping the ball means someone fumbled an endeavor, usually compromising the luck of other people.

We all understand that this alludes to a person rooting for you and helping. Maybe when you heard this phrase you pictured someone figuratively in the corner of your mind, or of your heart –or of any room you were in.

But the origin is much more literal. As any boxing fan knows, the player’s support staff stay at a designated ringside corner. They are the ones tending to the player with help and encouragement between rounds.

You probably didn’t think that stepping up to the plate was advancing towards a dining table where a delicious feast awaited. But someone else probably did.

The actual meaning of the expression (which means to "rise up to the occasion") comes from baseball, where "the plate" refers to home plate –the spot where the batter stands to face the pitcher. If you are approaching it, it means it’s your turn to take action, face the challenge and deliver results.

This one is easy to guess: Of course, it comes from boxing, where expecting blows is the norm. What isn’t the norm is to courageously accept punches in the face.

To take something on the chin means to face a figurative blow with resilience. A hit directly to the chin is one of the most jarring blows a fighter can endure, so when you are congratulated for having done something equivalent, it means you have withstood a challenge with grace.

When someone says something is a "slam dunk," you probably imagine a sure success or an effortless win.

The term, as you may know, comes straight from basketball. A "slam dunk" is when a player jumps high and forcefully scores by slamming the ball directly into the hoop. Not effortless at all, but by the time the player has the opportunity to perform a slam dunk, their win is usually a sure thing.

No, it does not derive from people putting aside their fancy gloves before having tea. It comes from harsh, bare-knuckle boxing.

In the early days of the sport, fighters wore padded gloves to soften their punches and reduce injury. When the gloves came off, the fight became more brutal and raw: No more pretense. Over time, the phrase evolved to describe any situation where politeness or restraint is abandoned.

It isn’t a race to a punch bowl at a party. This is yet another expression derived from the world of boxing, which, as you have seen, is a sport that launched more expressions into our language than any other!

This one refers to moments when one fighter manages to hit the other before receiving a blow.

We now use it for people who seize an opportunity and act faster than an opposing party.

Furry instincts

When animals flee, take cover: 10 chilling early warnings from nature

Image: Zoltan Fekeshazy

Long before radar and satellites, animals have relied on their sensory superpowers to detect natural disasters. From elephants hearing through the ground to ants reacting to tremors and storms in advance, many creatures exhibit behaviors that hint at impending doom—often hours or even days before it hits. Here's a list of 10 real ways animals are believed to detect and respond to natural disasters.

Image: paweldotio

Elephants can detect low-frequency seismic vibrations through their feet, known as infrasound. These sounds travel great distances through the ground, giving elephants an early warning system for earthquakes.

Field studies in Sri Lanka and Thailand have recorded elephants moving to higher ground hours before tsunamis and quakes.

Image: Chewy

Dogs often display signs of anxiety—pacing, whining, hiding—before storms or earthquakes. In some cases, they have even alerted owners to seizures or cardiac events.

Their acute sense of smell and hearing allows them to detect subtle changes in barometric pressure and even the scent of ozone that precedes a thunderstorm. In quake-prone areas, dogs have been reported barking frantically seconds before tremors strike.

Image: Alexandre Boucey

Sharks can detect shifts in barometric pressure, allowing them to dive deeper before hurricanes strike.

In 2001, tagged bonnethead sharks in Florida were observed diving rapidly in response to Hurricane Gabrielle’s approach. Their pressure-sensitive lateral lines function like an early-warning system for dangerous storms.

Image: Prince Patel

Ants have been observed to alter their foraging behavior and nest structure before earthquakes. Scientists believe they react to changes in soil gases and vibrations.

In addition to earthquakes, ants can also detect approaching storms. Changes in barometric pressure and humidity can cause ants to become more active or retreat deeper into their nests.

Image: Mohamed Fsili

As one would expect, birds are highly responsive to changes in air pressure. Many species change flight paths or stop migrating if a storm is coming.

In 2014, golden-winged warblers abruptly left Tennessee days before a deadly tornado outbreak, only returning after the threat passed. GPS trackers on some of the birds confirmed the sudden 900-mile round-trip escape.

Image: Geoff Brooks

Fish have been recorded jumping out of the water just before earthquakes, possibly reacting to pressure or specific chemical changes.

In Japan, koi and eels exhibited panic-like thrashing and leaping before the 2011 Tōhoku quake. Researchers suggest their specialized senses can detect subtle pressure waves or dissolved gas anomalies in water.

Image: Michelle Gordon

Rats often leave urban areas en masse before major flooding events. Sewer vibrations or scent cues may warn them of the incoming danger.

In India and Bangladesh, mass rat migration has historically preceded flash floods. Their survival relies on quickly identifying danger zones, and some believe their whiskers help detect water movement and even vibrations deep underground.

Image: Peter Fogden

Dolphins may be able to detect algal blooms (red tides) from miles away and often swim clear of affected areas.

Scientists believe their acute echolocation could help them sense chemical changes or detect developing dead zones. In Florida, dolphins have been observed avoiding regions impacted by Karenia brevis blooms long before any visible changes appear in the water.

Image: Erzsébet Vehofsics

Frogs may alter their calls ahead of seismic activity, responding to low-frequency vibrations.

Researchers in Japan recorded changes in frog croaking patterns in the days before the 2011 quake. The frogs emitted less frequent and lower-pitched calls, suggesting discomfort from environmental shifts.

Image: William Warby

Crickets often go silent ahead of disasters. This curious behavior may be linked to their sensitivity to ground vibrations and air pressure changes.

Studies in Indonesia noted decreased cricket chirping before tsunamis. The silence has been proposed as a natural indicator, potentially tied to shifts in humidity or ground tension.