14 Expressions with Crazy Origins that You Would Never Have Guessed | Grammarly Blog. Guest post by Anais John You probably use tons of expressions, idioms, and slang phrases every day that don’t make literal sense. If you ever thought long and hard about why you say something a certain way, you could probably make a guess. However, some English expressions are so crazy and unusual that it is impossible to guess where on earth it originated from — unless you know the history. In case you didn’t know, historical events, legends, important figures, religion, and even advertisements form the basis of many expressions used today. Here are the origins of some of the most interesting idioms! Bite the bullet Meaning: To accept something difficult or unpleasant Origin: In the olden days, when doctors were short on anesthesia or time during a battle, they would ask the patient to bite down on a bullet to distract from the pain.
Break the ice Meaning: To break off a conflict or commence a friendship. Butter someone up Meaning: To impress someone with flattery Mad as a hatter. When will men stop the catcalls? (Opinion) Your video will begin momentarily. A video showing a woman getting catcalls, lewd looks and unwanted comments goes viral Mel Robbins: In many states, it's illegal to harass women on the streetUnwanted attention can make a woman feel emotionally and physically uncomfortableRobbins: If a man wants to talk to a woman on the street, he should follow 3 basic rules Editor's note: Mel Robbins is a CNN commentator and legal analyst.
She is the founder of Inspire52.com, a positive news website and author of "Stop Saying You're Fine," about managing change. Robbins speaks on leadership around the world and in 2014 was named outstanding news talk radio host by the Gracie Awards. (CNN) -- If you are a woman, you've likely experienced the creepy, disrespectful and sometimes scary way some men treat you as you walk down the street -- lewd looks, unwanted comments, compliments about your body, elongated necks craning to see your backside, catcalls, even being followed. Mel Robbins That's the crux of it. Paintings That Will Make You Question Everything Wrong in This World.
Pawel Kuczynski is a Polish artist who specialises in images that make you think hard about the world we live in. While some of these may be hard to decipher, the message in all of them should be all too clear. These are some seriously intelligent and thought provoking works of art. And to mix it up a bit, here’s something a little less depressing (but equally amazing)… the Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse which occurred the other night: And don’t forget, if you’re looking for a piece of original art to hang on your walls, check out artFido HERE! List of idioms in the English language. This is a list of notable idioms in the English language. An idiom is a common word or phrase with a culturally understood meaning that differs from what its composite words' denotations would suggest.
For example, an English speaker would understand the phrase "kick the bucket" to mean "to die" – and also to actually kick a bucket. Furthermore, they would understand when each meaning is being used in context. An idiom is not to be confused with other figures of speech such as a metaphor, which invokes an image by use of implicit comparisons (e.g., "the man of steel" ); a simile, which invokes an image by use of explicit comparisons (e.g., "faster than a speeding bullet"); and hyperbole, which exaggerates an image beyond truthfulness (e.g., like "missed by a mile" ).
Idioms are also not to be confused with proverbs, which are simple sayings that express a truth based on common sense or practical experience. Visit Wiktionary's Category for over eight thousand idioms. See also[edit]