Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
3Kviews
Hey Pandas, What’s A Phrase Or Saying You Were Surprised To Learn The Meaning Or Origin Of? (Closed)
What's a phrase or saying you've used or heard that surprised you when you learned what it really meant or how it originated?
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
“Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth”- to mean “be grateful for what you are given/gifted, apparently comes from the old days when people wanted to know if a horse was healthy, they would check it’s teeth (ie “look in its mouth”)
So basically- if you’re given a free horse, don’t check to see if it’s a GOOD horse, just be grateful you got a free horse!
Final score:
21points
Sylvia Weiss 1 year ago
Dem geschenkten Gaul schaut man nicht in´s Maul. I guess this idiom was created in Middleage? When you see the teeth of a horse, you have an impression how old the horse is. How worn/used the teeth are. And in that time, even an very old horse was of high value, cause you could slaughter it. So, in any case - you where happy, when you where gifted. Please excuse my bad english...
RELATED:
#2
When addressing corruption in an organization (police, church, etc.) you often hear them say that it was only one or two bad people, and not systemic, by saying "It was only a few bad apples". Except, the whole phrase "A few bad apples spoils the bunch" is a warning about systemic corruption.
Final score:
17points
Vix Spiderthrust 1 year ago
I've always heard "a few bad apples spoil the barrel" but yes, this is what it means. Corruption anywhere leads to corruption everywhere.
#3
Begs the question... There is a common use today that is quite different than the original use from formal logic
Final score:
13points
Sara Wilson 1 year ago
Isn't the point of this post to explain the origin? Seems a pointless post on here without it
#4
Saying "My/your name is mud" meaning to be disgraced by your actions is a reference to Dr. Samuel Mudd who treated John Wilkes Booth for his injuries after he assassinated Abraham Lincoln. As a consequence his career and life were effectively ruined as he was convicted of being a co-conspirator and sent to prison.
Final score:
13points
Vix Spiderthrust 1 year ago
Nope, just a coincidence. The phrase is older than that. https://grammarist.com/idiom/ones-name-is-mud/
#5
Clue From the ball of yarn or "clew" that Theseus unraveled behind him in the labyrinth of the Minotaur
Final score:
9points
#6
"panem et circenses" (by Juvenal) which is very fitting for the Internet, as well as many other aspects of our "entertaining" society (thankfully not all of it!).
Final score:
7points
Sans Serif (Sans) 1 year ago
"Bread and circuses : sustenance and entertainment provided by government to appease public discontent". Très improbable! /s
#7
Butt load equaling a lot. Origen of the phrase is:
A regional English measure of capacity of a heavy cart (a butt), containing 6 seams, or 48 bushels, equivalent to 384 gallons.
Final score:
5points
#8
Not really a phrase, but a kids' song- Ring Around the Rosie is about the Bubonic Plague
Final score:
4points
Vix Spiderthrust 1 year ago
Apparently this is a myth - the rhyme isn't nearly old enough https://www.thoughtco.com/debunking-ring-a-ring-a-roses-1221610
#9
"Blind drunk" homemade alcohol may contain methyl alcohol can damage the optic nerves
Final score:
4points
Vix Spiderthrust 1 year ago
Nope. Just means too drunk to see straight. https://slate.com/technology/2012/12/blindness-treated-with-whiskey-can-you-really-lose-your-sight-from-drinking.html
#10
"Câline de bine!" is basically French for "goshdarnit". The origin is railroad workers, French and English working together, a rough translation of the English guys yelling "Coal in the bin!"
Final score:
4points
#11
"As the crow flies" . "Dead to rights" - still searching for meaning of this one. Thought it was related to sailing but not so. Anyone?
Final score:
1point
#12
Bye, Felicia. (I thought it was just something my mom said. I was wrong.)
Final score:
-3points
Sara Wilson 1 year ago
And another post without sharing the origin! Is this a difficult concept? :D
What do you think ?
Nice Beast Ludo 1 year ago
Too scared to add an answer ... the downvotes are strong in this one
Sans Serif (Sans) 1 year ago
Well said! I should have given this one a wide berth too!!
Load More Replies... Vix Spiderthrust 1 year ago
Not a saying, but a song: Amazing Grace was written by a small-town English clergyman who made a fortune in the slave trade.
FoxFriend (they/them) 1 year ago
Save your downvotes for when someone is being mean. Downvotes can get you banned and no one deserves to get banned for making a mistake.
StitchIsCuteAndFluffy 1 year ago
Yes thank you for pointing it out. Lots of people seem to downvote on someone who was misinformed. Those people don’t deserve to be downvoted, just told the correct answer
Load More Replies... Nice Beast Ludo 1 year ago
Too scared to add an answer ... the downvotes are strong in this one
Sans Serif (Sans) 1 year ago
Well said! I should have given this one a wide berth too!!
Load More Replies... Vix Spiderthrust 1 year ago
Not a saying, but a song: Amazing Grace was written by a small-town English clergyman who made a fortune in the slave trade.
FoxFriend (they/them) 1 year ago
Save your downvotes for when someone is being mean. Downvotes can get you banned and no one deserves to get banned for making a mistake.
StitchIsCuteAndFluffy 1 year ago
Yes thank you for pointing it out. Lots of people seem to downvote on someone who was misinformed. Those people don’t deserve to be downvoted, just told the correct answer
Load More Replies...
Related on Bored Panda
