Born from nature

Don’t back the wrong horse: The origins of common idioms explained

Image: Florian van Duyn

Nature gives us so much, even some words and phrases we use to express ourselves. Many sayings and idioms we use every day are inspired by landscapes, plants, animals, oceans, and more. But what do they really mean, and where did they come from? Discover all this and more in our article on 10 nature-related idioms!

Image: Gala Iv

He was between the devil and the deep blue sea: either tell the truth and risk the consequences, or lie and face guilt.

Sometimes life puts you in tough situations where no choice seems easy, satisfying, or pleasant. Choosing between two chores you don’t want to do, or two dishes you don’t want to eat, is like being "between the devil and the deep blue sea." The phrase comes from the world of sailors: the ‘devil’ was a rope on the ship’s deck that was hard to reach, leaving sailors caught between it and the dangerous, stormy sea.

Image: Todd Cravens

She had a whale of a time at her birthday party with all her friends.

We may not all be whale experts, but one thing is clear: they are huge creatures. That’s likely why the word "whale" was used as slang for something enormous back in the 19th century. Over time, the meaning evolved to describe something grand or extraordinary, giving rise to the idiom "a whale of a time," used to refer to incredibly fun, enjoyable, or memorable moments and experiences.

Image: Kirsten LaChance

I think you’ve backed the wrong horse by supporting that candidate in the election.

"Backing the wrong horse" can be frustrating and discouraging. Originating in the world of horse racing, this idiom is used when you support something that doesn’t work out or trust someone or something that ends up letting you down. Whether it’s a personal choice, financial decision, or political issue, the phrase can be applied to all sorts of situations in life.

Image: Csaba Gyulavári

When he forgot our anniversary after months of neglect, that was the last straw.

Some days just don’t go right: your alarm doesn’t go off, you step in some water with your socks on, and you miss your morning coffee. At the office, it turns out the coffee machine is broken, so you grab a cup at a café. And just when you think the bad luck is over, someone bumps into you and spills the warm infusion on your clothes. No wonder you lose your temper; this was "the last straw." The phrase comes from an old proverb: "Is it the last straw that breaks the camel’s back," meaning a small event can push a situation over the edge.

Image: Susana Bartolome

After their argument, she offered an olive branch by inviting him to lunch.

Have you ever sent or received flowers after an argument? Classic, right? Offering or extending "an olive branch" is a gesture of peace, a request for a truce, or a show of goodwill. As you might guess, this idiom dates back to ancient times, when olive branches symbolized peace, harmony, and even victory.

Image: Kevin Albrich

Stop beating around the bush and tell me what really happened at the meeting.

If you ask your family whether they ate the dessert you left in the fridge, and they start avoiding the question or changing the topic, you can say they’re "beating around the bush." The idiom comes from medieval English hunting, where hunters would beat bushes to flush out birds or small animals, rather than going straight for them. Today, it’s used to describe someone who avoids the main point and speaks indirectly.

Image: Anton Atanasov

If you think I’m the one who broke the plate, you’re barking up the wrong tree.

What if, after getting upset with your family, you find out it was the dog who ate your dessert? In that case, you could say you were "barking up the wrong tree." This common idiom is used when you blame the wrong person or make a wrong assumption. Like the previous one, it comes from hunting: in 19th-century America, raccoon hunters used dogs to track their prey, but sometimes the dogs would simply bark at the wrong tree.

Image: Polina Zimenkova

The weekend started off peacefully, but it was just the calm before the storm of holiday traffic.

Ask a meteorologist what usually comes before a storm, and the answer is simple: calm. Everything seems quiet and peaceful, but trouble is on the way. This pattern in nature inspired the widely used idiom "calm before the storm," which warns that periods of tranquility can be followed by sudden chaos.

Image: Kellice Chua

Their argument about who would do the dishes was really just a storm in a teacup.

Do you remember the last time you got really upset over something that wasn’t all that important? Chances are you were making "a storm in a teacup." You don’t have to be English to know that teacups are usually small, so how could a storm possibly break out inside one? It’s this very irony that gives the idiom its meaning.

Image: Charlotte Coneybeer

With your talent and dedication, the world is your oyster.

When opportunities are endless, when the best is yet to come, or when you have the power to achieve your goals, you can say that "the world is your oyster." This widely used idiom comes from Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor (1602), where the line reads, "Why then the world’s mine oyster, which I with sword will open." The oyster represents the world, and the pearl inside symbolizes the opportunities to discover.

Deep roots

11 everyday words with indigenous roots

English is a very welcoming language in the sense that it incorporates terms from many other languages from all over the world. And, as it couldn’t be otherwise, Native American languages have lent many of their words and terms to English speakers. Some traveled through Spanish or French before settling into English, and others arrived directly through early contact and trade, helping shape the way we speak today. Did you know about these 11 terms?

The word "canoe" comes from the Taino term canoa, which was first used by Caribbean islanders long before Europeans arrived. Early explorers adopted it to describe the slim, sturdy boats they saw.

Over time, "canoe" became the standard English word for a small paddled craft. Today it still carries that sense of simplicity and closeness to nature.

The word "barbecue" comes from barbacoa, another Taino term for a wooden frame used for cooking meat over fire. Europeans adopted it and applied it to both the method and the gathering itself.

Today, "barbecue" means everything from a backyard cookout to a regional cooking style. Its origins highlight the deep culinary influence of Native Americans in the nation's current culture.

"Skunk" comes from the Algonquian word squnk, which means "urinating fox" (quite a fitting term, indeed). This was an obvious reference to the animal’s strong defensive spray. Early settlers adopted the term directly.

Since English had no better name for the creature, the Native word stuck. Today, the word skunks is also used as playful slang.

The word "moose" originates from Eastern Abenaki, a part of the Algonquian family, where it meant "he strips off bark." Yes, it described the animal’s habit of tearing bark from trees.

The name entered English quickly because settlers relied on Native knowledge of local fauna. The word remains unchanged because of its accuracy and usefulness.

"Raccoon" comes from the Powhatan word arakun, meaning "he scratches with his hands." It described the animal’s clever, humanlike front paws.

Settlers adopted the term because it captured the creature’s behavior beautifully. Today, the raccoon is used as a household symbol of curiosity, not unlike the animal itself.

The term "chipmunk" most probably comes from the Ojibwe word ajidamoo, which means "one who descends trees headfirst." Early English settlers adapted the sound into today’s form.

Though the spelling changed over time, the lively image of a chipmunk racing down a tree face-first stayed.

The word "caribou" comes from the Mi’kmaq term qalipu, which means "snow shoveler," referring to the animal’s habit of digging through snow for food.

French settlers brought the word into English, keeping its descriptive nature. The name still connects the modern animal to the winter landscapes it belongs to.

"Totem" comes from the Ojibwe word ototeman, which means "kinship group." It described symbols representing clans and shared roots.

English adopted it to describe carved poles and symbolic elements. Though broader in modern usage, it still hints at the original sense of community, identity, and heritage.

"Coyote" comes from the Nahuatl word coyōtl, which was used by Indigenous tribes of central Mexico. Spanish speakers adopted it, and English borrowed later.

The word kept its meaning, and it remains one of the most direct links between the English language and Nahuatl.

The tasty avocado’s name traces to the Nahuatl word ahacatl, which refers to the fruit and to a body part as well. Spanish speakers transformed it into aguacate.

Later on, English speakers adapted it to avocado. While the name sounds contemporary and culinary, it has ancient Native roots.

The last Nahuatl word and also the last word on the list comes from the term xocolātl, which describes a bitter cacao drink that was consumed long before Europeans arrived in America. The name traveled from Spanish to English.

Though the product changed dramatically, the word survived. Today, chocolate is a universal symbol of sweetness, with rich and deeply indigenous roots.