Pam Webb

a writer's journey as a reader

Archive for the tag “phrases”

10 Oct 2025
5 Comments

Word Nerd: Words Describing Words


Have you been there before, you know that time you were perhaps in a pub trivia round, or rooting for a Jeopardy contestant, or maybe just reaching for that word you maybe remember learning back in tenth grade English?

Those words that describe words is what this post is all about. You are no doubt familiar with that all time favorite onomatopoeia, which is fun to say (and less fun to spell), which means a word that sounds like what it is trying to emulate, such as buzz, ring, meow. Or what about oxymoron, when opposite words are used together, as in jumbo shrimp or Microsoft Works, or a loud whisper.

Ah, but there are so many other words that describe words. How about:

Tmesis: this is taking a compound word and inserting one or more words between the different parts.
“He abso-flippin-lutely said he refused to drive me to the airport.”

Portmanteau: blending two words to form a new word.
“Be a darling, and drive me to the airport. I’ll even treat you to brunch.”

Nonce: an invented word for a specific purpose, as often found in literature.
“Can you recite the Jabberwocky poem?”

Modegreen: replacing a word or phrase for misheard song lyrics.
“We got into a tiff about Cold Play’s song. He said “Dream of a pair of dice.” And I said, “Dream of paradise.” I was right of course, and he treated me to a gelato.

Crash blossom: when a news headline creates an ambiguous meaning, often creating inadvertent humor.
Dad almost fell over laughing when he read “Paramedics Rush to Help Bee Sting Victims” in his newsfeed.

Neologism: a new word or expression that becomes accepted into general use.
“Can you believe how many selfies Jana took on her vacation?”

Malapropism: mistakenly saying a similar sounding word, which can be both humorous and confusing to the listener.
“I tried not to smile when my niece said she liked the banana on my head, when I know she meant to say bandana.”

Counterword: a word that is used in a broader form than its original intent to the point that it has lost its true meaning.
“When I go shopping with Marjie she says everything I try on is nice, so it’s hard to believe if it is or not.”

Euphemism: using a word or phrase to more politely describe something that is awkward or unpleasant.
“Wait for me while I go powder my nose.“

Dysphemism: uses a word or phrase to more harshly describe something.
“My uncle has nothing good to say about that garage and called it a chop shop.”

Weasel words: those words signifying ambiguity that can lessen the impact of a statement.
“I might be able to take you to the airport. It’s likely that I will have time after my appointment.”

Synecdoche: using a figure of speech in which a part represents the whole.
“Grandpa will yell “All hands on deck!” when he calls us in to eat supper. I think he is remembering when he was in the Navy and was ordering his sailors to report to duty.”

So, which were new terms to you? I must admit I veer towards weasel words, and I have been known for my malapropisms, but try to pass them off as neologisms or portmanteau words. And for years I thought I was in modegreen thinking whenever I heard Creedence Clearwater wailing about that bathroom on the right. Thanks to YouTube I’m set straight.
 



Posted in Reflections and tagged , ,
17 Jul 2025
2 Comments

How Cliche: “R” You Ready?


As we move on down the line of our cliché alphabet let’s get ready to take a running leap at a few “r” entries.

Raining cats and dogs: raining heavily. The origin of this common cliché isn’t certain, although it does possibly go back to Norse mythology and the obsolete word “catadupe” (waterfall) and was associated with it raining so hard that animals, most likely cats and dogs, were found drowned in the streets; hence, the logic being the skies must have released animals in the rainstorm.

Read between the lines: to understand what is being said without it being actually stated. Secreting messages within messages via code or invisible ink used to be common practice around the 19th century, which meant people might literally be reading between the lines to get the actual message. Modern day application involves listening to what is not being said to get the possible true meaning of a message.

Rags to riches: going from poverty to wealth. Fairly self-explanatory and who doesn’t appreciate a good old destitute to millionaire story? Horatio Alger was known for this particular theme in his stories and present day rags to riches real life examples include J.K. Rowling who went from welfare mom to millionaire author with her Harry Potter series. Movies and stories like The Great Gatsby and Slumdog Millionaire remain popular as audiences cheer for the underdog.

Rack your brain: to think very hard. Torture is not a means people voluntarily chose to recall some bit of knowledge, yet this was a method often employed to nudge a person into relaying some knowledge they had. The inquisitor would place the person with the needed knowledge on a device called the “rack” (refer to most medieval movies for the gruesome details) and applied pressure until the knowledge was revealed. One has to ponder if the revealed information was truly believable at that point.

Rain on your parade: to spoil someone’s enjoyment or ruin plans. It’s a common phrase but a relatively new one since parades came into popularity around the 18th/19th century, going from serious celebrations such a military pomp and circumstance to the traditional splendor of Macy’s annual Thanksgiving parade. Barbra Streisand popularized the phrase with her well-known song from Funny Girl.

Raise the roof: make a lot of noise. One origin story is how a community would come together and build a barn (aka a barn raising) and hefting up a barn roof took a whole lot of effort and was probably a bit noisy.

Raise your eyebrows: something that initiates a response of surprise or shock. It’s a human response to show surprise or shock with the facial expression of lifting up one’s eyebrows and the phrase came into popular use around the Victorian era when people had certain standards that when jeopardized might cause the subtle response of eyebrows indicating disapproval.

Raise Cain: to be disruptive or display rowdy behavior. Cain refers to the biblical brother story where Cain slays his brother Abel and it is thought the expression is to behave so unacceptably that one could raise the dead. Brotherly squabbling takes on a new context with this revelation.

Ring a bell: something sounding familiar. One origin story is how church bells have been employed through the centuries to toll time, honor the fallen, and to sound alarms—their use being a familiar part of life. While church bell ringing isn’t as common today, our familiar cell phone alarms do an adequate job of reminding us to get up and go to work.

Rake over the coals: to harshly scold. Another tortuous origin story. If the rack wasn’t enough to get someone talking there was always the method of dragging them over hot coals, perhaps giving way to the expression of hotly denying an accusation.

Rock the boat: disrupting an otherwise stable situation. This one makes absolute sense: don’t upset the boat otherwise you will end up in hot water (or maybe not, but that is an idiom that comes to mind).

Read the riot act: being chastised for unacceptable behavior. The British created the “Riot Act” of 1714, which involved reading a proclamation to dissemble any unlawful gatherings of 12 or more people or risk being charged with a felony. While riots still occur today, and with consequences, being read the riot act usually involves an unpleasant scolding. 

Well, there “r” a few more clichés we could explore, but a dozen is fine without the need to rack up more Word Nerd points.

On to “S” next post…

Posted in Reflections and tagged , ,
13 Jan 2025
7 Comments

How Cliché: Oh, “O”


Moving through the alphabet of clichés, we now enter upon the O’s, and oh my, there are some good ones:

Off again, on again: intermittent; fickle.
A nineteenth century American expression derived from a railroad term when a train car went off the track and returned to it. The expression found its way into a popular song, and today it can refer to a romantic relationship that starts and stops and then begins once again. I believe this can also apply to weather, as evidenced by one day of sun followed by three days of gloom this winter.

Off the top of one’s head: impromptu.
A mid-twentieth century expression originally found in at least two separate books in which a character is noted to think impetuously. It is currently in use and describes a person who tends to act before thinking something through. *Ahem* I resemble take umbrage at the possibility of that truth.

Old as the hills: quite aged.
A reference to when mountains first appeared could be one argument for this cliché, another could be the Biblical reference found in Job 15:7–“Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills?” Writers such as Sir Walter Scott and Charles Dickens have also used the expression, and it applies today, although personally I will not comment upon the desire to look like a geologic formation as I age.

Old enough to know better: showing discerning wisdom.
The phrase was often completed with but young enough to learn. Found in the nineteenth century, authors such as Oscar Wilde incorporated the saying into their works, as noted in Lady Windermere’s Fan (1892): “my experience is that as soon as people are old enough to know better, they don’t know anything at all.” Oscar’s observation still makes sense today.

On an even keel: well-balanced.
A quick ship’s structure lesson–the keel is found at the bottom of the ship’s hull, extending from front to back, essentially being the spine. It must be straight and true in order for the ship or boat to ride steadily in the water. So, an even keel means the vessel is balanced, not tilting to one side or the other, which is a fitting metaphor for the how people deal with situations and fits in with the expression, “Steady as she goes.” Chugging through life’s waters without tipping over is an admirable strategy.

One good turn deserves another: providing a favor for one bestowed.
A very old expression that can be dated clear back to a 1400 Latin manuscript, and is also considered a proverb. I think I have received this as a fortune cookie saying.

One picture is worth a thousand words: graphic illustrations can express more than verbal ones.
In our visual society this cliché is an absolute truism, just think of Instagram and there is the proof. Apparently this expression began as “One look is worth a thousand words,” coined by Fred R. Barnard in the December 8, 1921 issue of Printers’ Ink. Not as catchy as the well known saying, which is why he probably changed it six years later to the one now in use, and acknowledged it to be taken from the Chinese proverb of one picture to be worth ten thousand words. It would have to be some picture to be worth that many words, although some Pintrest posts manage to say a lot without saying much at all.

On one’s toes: to be in full readiness.
This refers to the image of those who are poised and in position for quick movement, such as a runner or a dancer and applies to anyone needing to be attentive to be ready to move at quick notice. Found in use since the early twentieth century, the metaphor of being ready is still applicable. Just be aware that one must watch out for one’s toes being stepped on.

On the carpet (called upon or to put upon): to be chastised.
This one has an interesting history. Carpets in the eighteenth century were also considered table coverings and to put something on the carpet could indicate it was to be placed upon the table for discussion. However, the phrase, to walk upon the carpet, indicated to be reprimanded as only employers or the gentry enjoyed the luxury of carpeted floors. If an employee or servant was being called to walk upon the carpet they would be in for a reprimand. Carpets became more common in the nineteenth century, although found more in use by the well-off, and underlings were still summoned for chastisement. Getting called in to see the boss still has that effect of being on the carpet, be it bare wood floors or not.

On the tip of one’s tongue: unable to remember something precisely.
An older similar expression is at one’s tongue’s end, which means that a person blurted out what they wanted to say instead of being unable to remember it to speak what they were thinking. Today people are still trying to get that stuck thought out that is on the tip of their tongue.

On top of the world: elated.
P.G. Wodehouse is credited with the expression found in his 1930 Very Good, Jeeves! in the sentence: “If ever a bird was sitting on top of the world, that bird was Bingo.” Bingo being a close friend of Bertie Wooster, known for his romantic outlook. I always think of Karen Carpenter when I hear this cliche.

Out of the frying pan into the fire: from bad to worse.
Pretty much self-explanatory, although it can’t be resisted to list George Bernard Shaw’s contribution stated in his 1903 Revolutionist’s Handbook: “We shall fall out of the frying-pan of the football club into the fire of the Sunday School.” That commentary could use some additional research for context, I do believe.

image: amazon

Own worst enemy: to be the source of one’s difficulties.
Ancient philosophers already had this one out in circulation with the idea that “What is man’s chief enemy? Each is his own” (Anacharsis 550 B.C.). Although the cartoonist summed it up better with Pogo stating, “We have met the enemy, and they is us.”


Oh my and oh my goodness, I left quite a few “O” clichés on the editing floor. If I left out a favorite I encourage you to browse through Christine Ammer’s Have a Nice Day–No Problem: A Dictionary of Clichés.

Next time it’s time to mind our Ps and Qs.

Posted in Reflections and tagged , ,
29 Feb 2024
3 Comments

How Cliché: Mmm


Make heads nor tails: failing to understand something. Cicero claimed this one, or a similar phrase, as denoting confusion, although he is attributed as saying, “Neither head nor feet.” Tails could refer to the other side of the coin, because before it is flipped and seen no one knows if it will be heads or tails lending itself to confusion as to the exact outcome of matters.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Make no bones about it: no hesitation. An ancient saying that has different possibilities of meaning with one referring to how dice used to be made from bones and when someone threw them in a decisive manner.

March to the beat of a different drummer: to follow beliefs or a style diverging from the usual. A noted source is traced to Thoreau’s Walden: If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it sis because he hears a different drummer.” This idea of individualism was embraced by the 1960s era, especially, and has even been found in the business world where in a New Yorker article, Connie Bruck wrote, “We saw ourselves…as the tough guys, very smart, who were marching to our own drummer.”

Photo by absior u6c5fu6708 on Pexels.com

Mincing words: to speak plainly. Shakespeare used the phrase, “not to mince matters” in his plays, to mean “let’s moderate what is being said.” Over time “matters” became “words.”

Misery loves company: it’s easier to bear pain when shared with others. This idea hails back to ancient Greek and Roman times, and has traveled to modern times and has been broadened as Brian Moore suggests: “If misery loves company, then triumph demands audience.”

Monday-morning quarterback: someone who criticizes after the fact. This phrase is also known as “twenty-twenty hindsight.” When football became popular in the 1930s and mainly available on the weekends, it was not unusual for discussions to take place on Monday where “experts” would review the game, offering their “expertise” how the game should have gone. It now refers to someone who tends to second-guess decisions made.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Moon made of green cheese: response indicating something is outlandish to consider. The idea is attached to how “green” the new moon appears in the night sky.

More than meets the eye: seeing only the top part or surface of something that has more depth. Going back to the nineteenth century in England when a fictional detective noted when viewing a dead body that “there is more here than meets the eye.” Today this cliché is pulled out to indicate that a matter needs to be looked at more carefully.

Mum’s the word: keeping something secret. Shakespeare once again. In Henry VI the line reads, “Seal up your lips, and give no words but–mum.” Mum means to keep silent and refers to the “mmm” sound the lips make when pressed together.

Photo by Monstera Production on Pexels.com

Mutual admiration society: shared feeling of regard between individuals. While it might have been a term of sincerity when first used, it is now considered sarcastic.

Mmmm, so many clichés got left on the editing floor. Which “M” phrases were you hoping to see?

Posted in Reflections and tagged ,
14 Aug 2023

How Cliché: keepsakes


Moving into the “k” section it is surprising how many clichés begin with “keep.” Here are ten of the top keepsakes of that section:

Keep a stiff upper lip: don’t show your true feelings. Oddly I tend to think of this being of British origin as it is uttered often enough in literature and films, especially in WWII period dramas. However, the book indicates it from early 1800s America, referring to not allowing the upper lip to tremble, an indication tears are about to fall. In actuality it is the bottom lip that usually does the trembling prior to crying.

Keep your chin up: don’t lose heart or courage. A well-established cliché since at least 1840, the original body part and due to its slang connotations was exchanged for chin to emphasize keeping one’s head up in adversity instead of other misconstrued meanings.

image: http://www.inglesmalaga.com

Keep a straight face: look appropriately serious for the occasion. Derived possibly from Henry Miller’s 1953 Plexus where a character states: “All felt called upon to do was keep a straight face and pretend everything was [all right].

Keep at arm’s length: to keep someone or something at a distance. A long time expression harking back to the sixteenth century when it began as keeping “at arm’s end” which then became “at arm’s length.”

Keep your fingers crossed: hoping for the best outcome. An ancient belief of making the cross with avert harsh outcomes. It can also mean to keep from telling a lie, as in “xing” out the deed or what was said, a transfer from children’s games.

Keep under your hat: hiding a secret. In the old days, when hats were more predominantly worn, keeping items under one’s hat could be handy since it was hidden. A song from the 1920s sings out: “Keep it under your hat!” You must agree to do that. Promise not to breathe a word.”

Keeping up with the Joneses: living beyond one’s means. A cartoonist, Arthur R. Momand used the term in one of his cartoon titles as a reflection of living on a tight budget in an upscale New York suburb. While his cartoons may not be remembered the expression lives on.

Keep one’s head above water: to avoid being overwhelmed. Going back to the eighteenth century writer John Arbuthnot wrote in the 1712 John Bull: “I have almost drowned myself to keep his head above water.”

Keep your eyes peeled: have your eyes wide open. A reference from as early as the 1840s when people were on the lookout for possible hazards, as in pioneers being watchful for trouble while scouting out in the woods.

Keep your shirt on: don’t get upset. A nineteenth century American expression relating to the men removing their shirts before getting into a fistfight. It has since come to mean to not lose one’s patience.

Which of these clichés do you keep on hand?

Posted in Reflections and tagged , , | Leave a comment
16 May 2023
10 Comments

How Cliché: The “J” Phrases


There are not too many notable cliché “J” phrases, so let’s look them over.

Jack of all trades: someone who is able to do everything. This phrase dates to around the 1600s, Shakespeare’s time, yet there was a prevailing thought that if someone is good at everything they will not be outstanding in anything. Ouch. That’s harsh. I have moved away from saying Jack of all trades and just go with my personal reference of calling someone a MacGyver if they can fix anything and everything. MacGyver, I’m talking about the 80’s version, not the reboot. Great show. Angus MacGyver could take chewing gum and a paper clip and save the world from bad guys. He rocked an awesome mullet, which alone made him memorable.

image: Wikipedia

Jet set: the socially fashionable group. This term was introduced in the 1950s when airplanes became jets and moved people around quickly from one hot spot to the next. Flying was still out of easy reach for most people and mainly the affluent could afford jet travels. Not sure if jet set still applies today since platforms like Hopper make it more affordable to bounce from one place to the next more easily.

Jockey for position: to get into an advantageous place or position. A horse race term that literally meant that the jockeys were vying for the best position on the track. It later transferred to other situations such as the 1955 London Times that included the sentence, “Lawyers jockeying for position to appear before the right judge.” These suit and tie folk are smiling now, but it may not be so pretty once the gate bell rings, “And they’re off!”

image: Idioms4you

John Hancock: a person’s signature. A personal favorite. John Hancock signed the Declaration of Independence in a large and bold manner so that King George could read it. Today, anyone’s signature on anything is considered a John Hancock. Kings not included.

image: Online Library of Liberty

Johnny-come-lately: a newcomer or someone arriving late. A nineteenth-century British seaman would be referred as Johnny Newcomer. This term became Johnny-come-lately in the United States.

image: Amazon

Johnny-on-the-spot: someone who is available at the right time. An early nineteenth American term that is not as popular as it once was when it appeared in the 1896 Artie by George Ade: “I could see that a Johnny-on-the-spot…was trying to keep cases on her.” Although it’s pretty clear that the phrase still has found its way to being useful.

image: johnny rentals
image: johnnysvegas

Jump at the chance: to grab an opportunity. Strangely enough this expression was likened to a rooster jumping at a berry. Apparently Sir Walter Scott liked the expression and would refer to someone jumping at the “ready penny.” It certainly shows a degree of eagerness.

image: Free Dictionary

Jump down someone’s throat: to rebuke someone sharply. A metaphor still in use from its start in the late nineteenth century.

Jump the gun: to start too soon. An easy one to figure out when thinking about how sport participants are not supposed to set off before the starter’s gun goes off. To do so, to jump out into the race before the starter indicates to go, could scratch the participant from the race, let alone get the other participants a tad upset at the false start. Originally the expression was “beat the pistol,” which changed to its present form by 1942. The expression is a metaphor that goes far beyond athletic competitions.

Just deserts: a deserved reward or a deserved punishment. I would consider getting dessert a reward, except notice the spelling—“desert” refers to “deserve” not in cheesecake or pudding after the main meal. A mid-eighteenth century proverb: “Desert and rewarde be oft tuned things far of,” which means what one deserves and the reward they receive is not always the expected. Just deser is indeed different than just dessert.

Any surprises! I always thought it was “dessert” and wondered why someone would fling out, “they got their just dessert.” They weren’t talking about a slice of pie. Now I know.

Posted in language, Reflections and tagged , ,
15 Mar 2023
1 Comment

How Cliché: “I” Spy


Moving on the “I” section of the cliché book. Going for a mix of familiar and not so familiar.

[No] ifs, ands, or buts: presenting excuses or reservations. This expression is derived from two expressions: ifs and ands; but me not buts. The first expression from the sixteenth century is found in the 1850 rhyme by Charles Kingsley: “If ifs and ans were pots and pans, there’d be no trade for tinkers.” Sir Walter Scott made us of “but me no buts” in his The Antiquary (1816). Today the expression is used as a negative imperative as in “Get this done, no ifs, ands, or buts.”

If the shoe fits, wear it: accept the situation if it applies. Another version is the early eighteenth century saying: “if the cap fits, put it on,” which referred to a if someone who wears a fool’s cap is usually a fool. “Cap” was replaced with “slipper” with a nod to the popularity of the Cinderella story. “Slipper” has slipped into “shoe” yet still carries the meaning of accepting the situation as it applies.

If worst comes to worst: should the most unfavorable happen. The expression should actually read: “if worse comes to worst”–comparative to superlative. It is what it is since the sixteenth century.

Ignorance is bliss: sometimes it is best to not be fully aware of the outcome. Sophocles expressed the idea and it has traveled through the the centuries, sometimes being noted as “blissful ignorance.”

In a nutshell: stated concisely. Pliny the Roman writer noted that Homer’s epic poem the Iliad had been copied in such tiny writing it could fit in a nutshell. Definitely a hyperbole, it caught the attention of writers such as Jonathan Swift. Down the line “the Iliad” was dropped to the present use of “in a nutshell.”

In a pig’s eye: not happening. Attributed as an American saying, it’s thought it developed from the expression “when pig’s fly.” Either expression means “never.”

In for a penny, in for a pound: to become fully involved. The saying means that if someone owes a little, they probably owe more. In the seventeenth century Thomas Ravenscroft wrote, “Well, that, O’er shooes, o’er boots, And In for a penny, in for a Pound.” Charles Dickens ran with the sayings and included it in three of his novels, which no doubt popularized the phrase.

In full swing: quite active. In the sixteenth century “swing” referred to a course of a career or a period of time. Someone being in “full swing,” meant they were actively involved in their career or the period of time.

In over one’s head: to be unable to meet the demand of the situation. The saying is a reference to being in water too deep for one’s ability to swim. Other situations, beyond swimming in too deep of water, can be referenced such as paying bills or dealing with work responsibilities.

In the bag: guaranteed success. In the 1600s and beyond, hunters placed their game in bags after bringing them down. In other words, they had already had success in the hunt and the results were placed in the bags to prove it. From hunting success the saying came to mean an acknowledgement success has been achieved.

In the pink: in good health. Shakespeare gets some credit for this one. In his time “the pink” meant perfection and he used the expression in Romeo and Juliet when Romeo and Mercutio traded quips. “The very pink of courtesy” meant the perfection of politeness. Today the expression refers to being in perfect health.

In the swim: actively involved. This is a fishing phrase. When a large amount of fish were found in one place this would be called “a swim.” It later transferred to mean being in the current of what is happening. Arthur Conan Doyle wrote in his 1893 THe Stock-broker’s Clerk, “He knew I was in the swim down here.”

There are sooo many more “I” phrases and these just a dozen. What was missed? “I” would like to know.

Posted in Reflections and tagged ,
15 Jun 2022
3 Comments

How Cliché: The “D” List


dark horse: an unexpected winner or a surprise outcome
An obscure origin, yet its use can be traced to the nineteenth century and horse racing. When a horse’s background or ancestry is unknown the term “dark” is used. The term is also associated with the practice of some owners who would dye their horse to disguise its appearance and change the betting odds. “Dark horse” eventually moved from racing to politics. A “dark horse” now means a political candidate who has unexpectedly won, such as James Polk, who won the 1844 Democratic nomination and became the US 11th president.

image: nuttyhistory.com

diamond in the rough: an individual with potential
An raw, unpolished diamond is not impressive since it resembles a dull worthless rock. However, once processed it is both stunning and valuable. The idea of an uncultivated person becoming polished in manners or appearance is found in various literary and film references.

image: AZ quotes

dime a dozen: readily available to the point of not having much value
In 1786 Congress designated the ten cent coin as a dime, which is derived from the French dime meaning “tithe” or one-tenth. This makes sense or cents since it takes ten dimes to make a dollar. Early in the twentieth century a single dime could buy a paperback novel, a cup of coffee, or a doughnut. The Great Depression created the plea of “Can you spare a dime?” which at the time had more buying power. Today the dime doesn’t go very far in buying power, but the idea of being able to buy much with a coin of little denomination stays on in usage.

image: wonderopolis.com

dot the “i’s” and cross the “t’s”: to be thorough and precise
Sloppy penmanship can create confusing results, so students learning to write were admonished to become more aware of finishing their writing with exactness. That was back when cursive writing was part of the educational menu. Today? Keyboards take care of those “i’s” and “t’s.”

image: gyaniq.com

dressed to the nines: well-attired
This American saying is first credited to E.G. Paige’s Dow’s Patent Sermons of 1849 with the passage “A gentleman tiptoeing along Broadway, with a lady wiggle-waggling by his side, and both dressed to kill.” Dressed to kill signified a conquest, and being dressed to the nines are similar in that they both mean achieving perfection since “nine” is considered to be a number that is associated with the best (being the highest single digit).

image: thesourus.com


dull as dishwater: boring, oh so boring
The original saying was “dull as ditchwater” which referred to the muddy murk found in roadside ditches. In Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens the sentence uttered by Fanny Cleaver is found: “He’d be sharper than a serpent’s tooth, if he wasn’t as dull as ditchwater.” Probably due to incorrect or sloppy pronunciation “ditchwater” became “dishwater.”

images: AZ quotes

This was condensed list of “D” sayings–if I missed one or two let me know!

Posted in Reflections and tagged
15 Nov 2021
4 Comments

How Cliché: The “B” List


The “B” section is booming with cliché phrases. All these are from Christine Ammer’s Have a Nice Day–No Problem: A Dictionary of Clichés.

The worst backseat drivers | Insurance.com
A backseat driver can be found anywhere

Backseat driver: unwanted advice.
In the 1920’s, those who could afford to do so, engaged a chauffer to drive them. The chauffer sat up front and the passenger or employer sat in the back and gave their driver instructions. Today the term applies to someone giving what they perceive as helpful advice, usually to the chagrin to the person doing the task. Other applicable phrases are Armchair General and Monday-Morning Quarterback.

Back to square one: back to the beginning
Though it sounds like a math problem, thoughts on this one are related to games where the start is a square, as in hopscotch or in a number of board games. Putting in hard work only to start over is frustrating and this term goes with back to the drawing board when the blueprints don’t pan out.

Salt mine Memes
And put some pepper in your efforts…

Back to the salt mines: returning to work
At one point in history, Russian prisoners during communist times were sent to work in the Siberian salt mines. While coming off of break can be tough, it probably is easier going that chipping away at rocks.

(The) ball is in your court: take your turn
A current expression from sports, which is attributed in the mid 20th century which is said when one person is a)being polite b)pushing the other person to take their turn c)a strategy to get the other person to reveal their intentions through action or words.

Bald face or barefaced liar/lie: an obvious, if not bold untruth.
Bare could be brazen, but it is likely is related to “beardless” which connects to only the young (not old enough to grow a beard yet) could so unashamedly tell such outrageous lies.

Idiom: Barking up the wrong tree (meaning & examples)
Categorically funny to Cocoa

(To) bark up the wrong tree: waste time or effort going in the wrong direction
Once when hunting racoons with dogs was prevalent, sometimes dogs, so pleased with themselves, would bound up to a tree so sure they had caught the varmint, would bark to their owners their success. Raccoons, being the clever creatures that they are often led the dogs astray by jumping to another tree or applying some other witty escape strategy. For those out there thinking they have solved the problem through what seems to be a long and productive chase, they might find themselves baying at empty branches and must go back to square one.

(To have) bats in one’s belfry: deemed slightly crazy
Bats in flight fly in a more irregular than regular pattern. At one time people watching bat flight thought the irregular flight reflected how bats thought–erratically. Since then it has been proven bats have a sophisticated flying system that employs sonar which keeps them from bumping into obstacles. While belfrys are not much in current use, one might be considered batty if their thoughts or speaking seems random, which might at first seem like an insult, yet it’s actually a compliment since bats are considered sophisticated creatures.

(To) beard the lion: to take a risk
If you haven’t heard this term recently, that makes two of us. Considered cliché for over a century, this phrase has Biblical roots coming from when David related how by grabbing a lion by its beard he slew him. Facing danger and vanquishing it is one thing, grabbing lions is quite another. Granted, David showed his bravery. Look how this lion’s beard–that’s up close and personal.

Why do men have more facial hair than women? - Quora
Bearding the lion (looks more like a goatee)

Beat (scare) the living daylights out of: to punish or scare someone tremendously
A 19th century American colloquialism for a person’s internal organs was “daylights.” To punish or scare someone so severely that there innards would fall out is indeed severe.

Bed or roses: an implied place of comfort
Metaphorically, lying in a bed of roses sounds pleasant, being surrounded by the fragrant petals. However, there are thorns to consider. And a literal bed of roses demands constant care, so this phrase implies the opposite, as in the situation is not comfortable.


Posted in blogs, creativity, education, everyday expressions, humor, Reflections, sayings, word inventing, Words and tagged , ,
20 Aug 2020
4 Comments

Why We Say: from Pleased as Punch to Rule of Thumb


As we progress through our sayings and expressions it becomes clear that some of these truly make sense and others are needing to be shelved forever in the vault of forgotten. For example:

Pleased as Punch: Punch and Judy shows were once upon a time (supposedly) funny little puppet theatres where Punch, the male protagonist, after a bit of schtick ends up whacking Judy, the female lead with a stick and felt quite pleased about the outcome. Umm, not politically, socially, ethically correct. Then again, some have problems with Bugs Bunny humor, but we don’t say Pleased as a Bunny, so we won’t go there.

Point Blank: the center of a French target was once white or blanc. In order to hit the bullseye a person had aim directly at the target, so to hit the “point blanc” one had to be direct without missing or be right in front of the target in order to hit the coveted mid mark.

Pop Goes the Weasel: not the most popular song these days, but perhaps the line “That’s the way the money goes,
Pop goes the weasel
will ring a bell. I remember my jack-in-the box used to play that tune and then “POP” out came Jack, usually surprising us and eliciting a shriek of laughter. The weasel in these case is not the chicken rustler critter but it is the slang for pocketbook. Then again if you listen to the song, the critter does take precedence over the pocketbook. It is a strange little ditty.

Anyone know this tune?

Pulling One’s Leg: This one makes sense. In order to trip someone up, a person might pull on their trouser or actual leg to see them stumble. This is supposed to be hilarious. Causing harm to others is traditionally funny. See the above for how funny Punch and Judy shows are.

Quack: Why are medical practitioners of dubious ability referred to as “quacks”? Not because a person is referring to their remedies as being “ducky” or wonderful in a sarcastic way, it’s a reference to the Dutch word kwakzalver which refers to salves. “Quack” is an abbreviation and also refers to the noise a person makes touting the benefits loudly, just as a duck makes a big noise for its small size.

Rhyme or Reason: If something does not make sense, the saying, “There is no rhyme or reason” might pop up. This refers to how poems, even though they might always be clear in meaning will most likely have rhyme or at least some meaning be derived from studying it. To lack rhyme or reason means the situation is fairly confusing. My AP students will undoubtedly relate to this saying when we get to our poetry unit.

Rule of Thumb: If measuring comes into the conversation and someone mentions “rule of thumb” then be aware that the measurement refers to the thumb’s first joint which is supposed to be an inch. I don’t know about you, but that surprised me–now I want to start measuring thumb joints.

A Better "Rule of Thumb" For Insurance? - The Free Financial Advisor
Are all thumb joints equal?

That leads up up to the “S” category and soon we will be through with Jordan Almond’s Dictionary of Word Origins. If you have enjoyed this monthly feature, let me know in the comments and I will scout out another book and keep plying your brains with unnecessary but interesting trivia of why we say why we say.

Posted in everyday expressions, language, Reflections, Words and tagged , ,

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