Idioms Explained
Viewing comments for Chapter 14 "Idioms Misconstrued "Fanstorians explain the backstory of idioms
8 total reviews
Comment from Sanku
We cross that bridge when we come to it ..This is what we usually say when we don't want to think of a possible problem until it actually happens..
Nip it in the bud..this too is very common usage here.
Dog-eat-dog world is the common usage .I have not heard of doggy-dog world. May be the younger generation use it Thank you for introducing me to the word 'eggcorn'. I asked Uncle Google about it and according to him "old wife's tale 'is also an eggcorn .It was actually 'old wise tale'.I never knew it.
Thanks for the opportunity for learning more ..
reply by the author on 24-Nov-2021
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We cross that bridge when we come to it ..This is what we usually say when we don't want to think of a possible problem until it actually happens..
Nip it in the bud..this too is very common usage here.
Dog-eat-dog world is the common usage .I have not heard of doggy-dog world. May be the younger generation use it Thank you for introducing me to the word 'eggcorn'. I asked Uncle Google about it and according to him "old wife's tale 'is also an eggcorn .It was actually 'old wise tale'.I never knew it.
Thanks for the opportunity for learning more ..
Comment Written 23-Nov-2021
reply by the author on 24-Nov-2021
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You uncle got it backwards:
https://brians.wsu.edu/2016/05/19/old-wise-tale/
old wise tale
An absurd superstition is an ?old wives? tale?: according to sexist tradition a story popular among credulous old ladies. It?s not an ?old wise tale? or?even worse?an ?old wives? tail.?
Comment from Mary Vigasin
I am familiar with dog-eat-dog but not doggy or nip it in the butt. I have of course, heard of nip in the bud. (I think your right, it became butt due to not hearing it correctly or by regional dialects.
Best regards,
Mary
reply by the author on 21-Nov-2021
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I am familiar with dog-eat-dog but not doggy or nip it in the butt. I have of course, heard of nip in the bud. (I think your right, it became butt due to not hearing it correctly or by regional dialects.
Best regards,
Mary
Comment Written 21-Nov-2021
reply by the author on 21-Nov-2021
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Check these out!
https://www.grammarly.com/blog/14-expressions-with-crazy-origins-that-you-would-never-have-guessed/
Comment from Ric Myworld
I've heard the saying "Nip it in the bud" my whole life. But I have to admit "Nip it/her/them on the butt" would work about as well, and in some cases, might be a hell-of-a-lot more fun. Thanks for sharing.
reply by the author on 21-Nov-2021
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I've heard the saying "Nip it in the bud" my whole life. But I have to admit "Nip it/her/them on the butt" would work about as well, and in some cases, might be a hell-of-a-lot more fun. Thanks for sharing.
Comment Written 21-Nov-2021
reply by the author on 21-Nov-2021
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Check these out!
https://www.grammarly.com/blog/14-expressions-with-crazy-origins-that-you-would-never-have-guessed/
Comment from BethShelby
Interesting. I've never doggy-dog one. The original expression was from the latin and it was "Dogs don't eat Dogs" so it has apparently changed more than once. I've also never hear Nip it in the butt" I always heard "Nip it in the bud"
Your last one was very old and one of my favorites "I'll cross that bridge when I come to it." Which is like Not counting your chickens before they hatch. The latest version is "Don't count you stock opitions until you out of jail."
reply by the author on 21-Nov-2021
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Interesting. I've never doggy-dog one. The original expression was from the latin and it was "Dogs don't eat Dogs" so it has apparently changed more than once. I've also never hear Nip it in the butt" I always heard "Nip it in the bud"
Your last one was very old and one of my favorites "I'll cross that bridge when I come to it." Which is like Not counting your chickens before they hatch. The latest version is "Don't count you stock opitions until you out of jail."
Comment Written 21-Nov-2021
reply by the author on 21-Nov-2021
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Check these out!
https://www.grammarly.com/blog/14-expressions-with-crazy-origins-that-you-would-never-have-guessed/
Don't count your stock options ... PRICELESS!
Comment from lyenochka
Thanks for sharing! These are so funny and I really thought it was "nip it in the butt" until I looked it up. But I thought it was "we'll cross that bridge - not jump off that bridge!" City Slickers was such a fun movie!
reply by the author on 21-Nov-2021
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Thanks for sharing! These are so funny and I really thought it was "nip it in the butt" until I looked it up. But I thought it was "we'll cross that bridge - not jump off that bridge!" City Slickers was such a fun movie!
Comment Written 21-Nov-2021
reply by the author on 21-Nov-2021
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Check these out!
https://www.grammarly.com/blog/14-expressions-with-crazy-origins-that-you-would-never-have-guessed/
JUMP OFF was an intentional twist on CROSS.
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That was illuminating. I did know about some of them already but I didn't know the literal "buttering up" of idols. Interesting!
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Nor did I. The only ones I knew were mad as a hatter and bite the bullet--let your hair down and up the wrong tree are self-explanatory. The bathwater one was astounding!
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That was dismaying about the baby - no wonder there was such high infant mortality! One acquaintance told me when he was visiting distant relatives in the remote country, they drew bath water and since he was a guest, he could use the water first. Everyone else used the same water afterwards...
Comment from royowen
You're definitely not a half, you are one clever girl, and among the most literate people I know. Thanks for the wonderful post, I done care if it is post-post, it was worth a look for us, and we may never have seen it if you haven't, well done Liz, blessings Roy
reply by the author on 21-Nov-2021
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You're definitely not a half, you are one clever girl, and among the most literate people I know. Thanks for the wonderful post, I done care if it is post-post, it was worth a look for us, and we may never have seen it if you haven't, well done Liz, blessings Roy
Comment Written 20-Nov-2021
reply by the author on 21-Nov-2021
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Check these out!
https://www.grammarly.com/blog/14-expressions-with-crazy-origins-that-you-would-never-have-guessed/
Comment from Jasmine Girl
Haha. There are so many idioms. I have a new idea every day. I enjoy these three idioms as a refresher.
I don't know what to do without giving you a five stars.
Well compiled and good job. Hope you are getting better from Covid19.
reply by the author on 21-Nov-2021
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Haha. There are so many idioms. I have a new idea every day. I enjoy these three idioms as a refresher.
I don't know what to do without giving you a five stars.
Well compiled and good job. Hope you are getting better from Covid19.
Comment Written 20-Nov-2021
reply by the author on 21-Nov-2021
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Check these out!
https://www.grammarly.com/blog/14-expressions-with-crazy-origins-that-you-would-never-have-guessed/
Thanks for stopping by. What I meant was, you can read and refrain from commenting--though I'm glad you did!
Comment from Jay Squires
Those are some funny ones I've never heard before, Liz. Especially the Doggy-dog world. The other, "nip-in-the-butt I seem to remember being said. The Jump of the bridge one is just plain hilarious. It sounds like it could have been said by Woody Allen.
How you feelin', girl?
Jay
reply by the author on 21-Nov-2021
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Those are some funny ones I've never heard before, Liz. Especially the Doggy-dog world. The other, "nip-in-the-butt I seem to remember being said. The Jump of the bridge one is just plain hilarious. It sounds like it could have been said by Woody Allen.
How you feelin', girl?
Jay
Comment Written 20-Nov-2021
reply by the author on 21-Nov-2021
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Check these out!
https://www.grammarly.com/blog/14-expressions-with-crazy-origins-that-you-would-never-have-guessed/