Fascinating backstories of phrases

Ten common English idioms and their surprising origins

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Ever wondered why we "spill the beans" when we reveal secrets, or why something costs "an arm and a leg"? Our everyday expressions carry hidden tales of history, culture, and human nature. Let's dive into ten familiar idioms and discover the surprising stories behind the words we use so casually.

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When you "break the ice" at a party or meeting, you're helping people feel more comfortable and start conversations. This perfectly sensible expression actually comes from a very literal practice. In the days before modern icebreakers, ships would get trapped in frozen harbors during the winter months, unable to move until smaller boats physically broke through the ice to create a clear path.

The phrase made its way into social situations because starting a conversation in an awkward silence feels just as challenging as breaking through solid ice. Shakespeare even used this expression in "The Taming of the Shrew" back in 1590, proving that people have been struggling with small talk for centuries.

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"Spilling the beans" means revealing a secret or letting information slip out accidentally. Historians suggest this idiom may have originated in ancient Greece, where voting was serious business. Citizens would cast their votes using beans. White beans meant "yes," and black beans meant "no." The beans were supposed to be counted privately, but sometimes a clumsy voter would knock over the jar and literally spill the beans, revealing the secret vote.

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When something "costs an arm and a leg," it's extremely expensive –so much so that you'd have to give up precious body parts to afford it. While this sounds like modern exaggeration, some theories suggest that the phrase comes from the world of portrait painting in the 18th and 19th centuries. Back then, having your portrait painted was a luxury, and artists charged based on how much of your body was included in the painting.

A simple head-and-shoulders portrait was the basic package, but if you wanted your arms and legs painted too, the price went way up. So literally, including arms and legs in your portrait cost extra arms and legs!

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"Biting the bullet" means facing a difficult situation with courage, usually something unpleasant you can't avoid. This grim expression comes from battlefield medicine in the days before anesthesia. When soldiers needed surgery or had to endure painful medical procedures, doctors would give them a bullet to bite down on to help them cope with the pain and prevent them from biting their own tongues.

The lead bullet was soft enough not to break their teeth but firm enough to give them something to focus on during the agony.

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"Letting the cat out of the bag" means revealing a secret or surprise, usually by accident. Legend has it that this phrase comes from medieval marketplaces, where dishonest merchants had a sneaky trick for cheating customers. When someone wanted to buy a pig, the merchant would show them a nice, plump pig, then put what the customer thought was that pig into a bag for transport. But instead of the pig, they'd slip in a much cheaper cat.

The fraud was only discovered when the buyer got home and literally let the cat out of the bag. The cat was definitely out then, along with the secret of the merchant's deception! This medieval scam was so common that buyers learned to insist on seeing inside the bag before paying.

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When you go "the whole nine yards," you're doing everything possible, giving maximum effort, or including everything available. Despite being such a common phrase, its origin is hotly debated. One popular theory involves World War II fighter pilots, whose ammunition belts were exactly nine yards long. When a pilot used up all their ammo in a fight, they had given it "the whole nine yards."

Other theories include fabric merchants selling nine-yard bolts of cloth, or concrete trucks carrying nine cubic yards of concrete. The truth is, nobody knows for sure, and that mystery makes the phrase even more interesting. What we do know is that nine yards seems to represent completeness in American culture.

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This awkward-sounding advice means you shouldn't be overly critical of something you're getting for free. The saying comes from the practical world of horse trading, where a horse's age and health could be determined by examining its teeth and gums. Younger horses have better teeth, making them more valuable, while older horses show wear and problems that reduce their worth.

When someone gave you a horse as a gift, it would be incredibly rude to immediately check its mouth to see if you were getting a good deal. You'd essentially be questioning the giver's generosity and looking for reasons to complain about your free horse.

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Calling someone "mad as a hatter" means they're acting crazy or irrational. This isn't just a random comparison. Hat makers really did go mad, and there was a tragic reason for it. In the 18th and 19th centuries, hat makers used mercury in the process of turning animal fur into felt. Mercury is highly toxic, and prolonged exposure caused mercury poisoning, which led to tremors, mood swings, and erratic behavior.

Hat makers would develop what we now know were symptoms of mercury poisoning: Twitching, slurred speech, and personality changes that made them seem insane. The phrase became so common that Lewis Carroll used it when creating the Mad Hatter character in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland."

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Being "saved by the bell" means being rescued from a difficult situation by a last-minute interruption, like when the school bell rings just as the teacher is about to call on you. While many people think this comes from boxing, where a boxer about to be knocked out gets saved when the round ends, the phrase might have an even more dramatic origin story involving the fear of being buried alive.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, people were terrified of being mistaken for dead and buried while still alive. Some coffins were equipped with bells connected to strings that ran down into the grave. If someone woke up buried, they could pull the string and ring the bell to alert the graveyard workers.

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When it's "raining cats and dogs," we mean it's pouring heavily. This bizarre expression has several possible origins, all of them rather unpleasant. One theory suggests that in medieval times, city drainage was so poor that heavy rains would wash dead animals through the streets, making it look like cats and dogs had fallen from the sky. Not exactly a pleasant mental image for your morning weather report.

Another theory points to old English, when thatched roofs provided shelter for small animals. During heavy storms, these creatures would supposedly fall through the soaked thatch into people's homes. While this sounds more like folklore than fact, it captures the chaos and surprise of a sudden downpour.

From pets to legends

A dog that knew Morse code? 10 amazing animals with their own statues

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We all remember a special pet from our childhood for different reasons, and many of us still have a furry friend who happily greets us every time we come home. But beyond being faithful companions, some animals have also made a lasting impact on society. Join us as we discover 10 incredible animals who were honored with their own memorials!

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One of the most famous presidential pets in America -and even the world- was Fala, the lovely black Scottish Terrier who followed President Franklin D. Roosevelt everywhere he went. And in a way, Fala is still by FDR's side, as his own bronze statue sits right next to the president's at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, D.C.

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All dogs have a special place in our hearts, but as it turns out, some of them even find a place in government! That was the case for Bosco, a Labrador and Rottweiler mix that was elected honorary mayor of Sunol, California, and held the title from 1981 until his passing in 1994. As it could not be otherwise, after his death, the locals honored him with his well-deserved bronze statue.

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Central Park is where you'll find the statue of Balto, a brave dog who helped save many lives! In 1925, Balto led a team of sled dogs across nearly 700 miles of icy Alaskan terrain. This heroic dog was tasked with transporting diphtheria antitoxin to a remote village facing a deadly outbreak. No one can deny that he deserves a memorial!

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Dog loyalty is a serious issue, and Hachiko is the perfect example. Famous not just in Japan but around the world, Hachiko, an Akita dog, faithfully accompanied his owner to work every day and waited for him at the train station. Tragically, his owner passed away while at work, but Hachiko never left the station, waiting for him every day for 10 years until his own death. His story touched many people, and in 1934, a bronze statue of Hachiko was erected at Shibuya Station.

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In the streets of Istanbul lived Tombilli, the city's most beloved cat. Known for lounging lazily on the steps of different buildings with one arm comfortably draped, this cat became an icon and was the main character of many stories and photos. After his passing in 2016, Tombilli's fame earned him a memorial in the streets of the Turkish city.

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This Llewellyn Setter, born in 1925, was particularly known for his exceptional hunting skills, but that wasn't all. It was said that Jim was able to understand and obey commands in multiple languages, and even in Morse code! According to his owner, Jim could also identify cars and people just by hearing their description. Whether this was true or an exaggeration, there's no doubt that Jim was an incredibly intelligent dog, and we're glad he has a well-deserved statue.

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We all remember Laika, the courageous dog who became the first living creature to orbit the Earth. Laika was found on the streets of Moscow, and her strength and resilience led her to become a part of this historic space mission. In November 1957, she was sent aboard Sputnik 2, the second spacecraft to be launched into space. Unfortunately, Laika didn't survive. Years later, a memorial was erected in Moscow to commemorate and honor Laika's heroic sacrifice.

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In the early 1800s, explorer Matthew Flinders undertook a series of voyages to circumnavigate and map the coasts of the Australian continent. But Flinders didn't sail alone. Along for the journey was Trim, the loyal cat who stayed by his side throughout the adventure. It's said that as a kitten, Trim once fell overboard but managed to swim back to the ship and climb up a rope. That moment showed his bold spirit, and it's just one of the reasons he earned the statue that was erected in his honor in 1996.

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It's not just cats and dogs; there's also a statue that honors Winnipeg, a black bear cub. In 1914, Winnipeg was adopted by a Canadian lieutenant who named her after his hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba. The bear cub traveled with him to England during WWI and eventually became a star resident at the London Zoo. There, she captured the heart of A.A. Milne's son and became the inspiration for the lovable Winnie the Pooh. As could not be otherwise, her memorial is in the Canadian city of Winnipeg.

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When we talk about heroic animals, we can't forget the many four-legged friends who have served in different wartime conflicts. In London, you can find the Animals in War Memorial, a place dedicated to all those animals that have served and lost their lives under military command throughout British history. They definitely deserve recognition!