And why do we say ……?

Bite the bullet is used to speak of how it is better to accept the painful or stressful situation rather than complaining or crying out. It is a modern version of the original ‘bite the cartridge’ dating from the Indian Rebellion of 1857 when British soldiers were subjected to medical procedures without anesthetic.

Cry over spilled milk – a warning not to linger over something which can’t be changed – possibly dates from 1659 and James Howell’s Paramoigraphy, where he speaks of ‘No weeping for the shed milk’.

Break the ice – to begin a conversation in an otherwise difficult situation – undoubtedly comes from the ship ploughing through ice fields. The first record of the metaphorical sense comes from 1678, when Samuel Butler used it in his poem Hudibras when he writes ‘The Oratour, at last broke the silence and the ice’.

A bite at the cherry – a second chance, especially after a missed opportunity – comes from the UK in the early 20th century, likely a reference to those who picked the cherries and the number which were eaten when the opportunity arose.

Cutting corners – not fully completing a task – dates from the horse-drawn vehicles of the early 19th century, and when a sharp turn involved negotiating a kerb the driver would clip it with the rear wheel of his vehicle.

Actions speak louder than words – or get on with it instead of just talking about it – came into general use following John Pym’s writings about the English Civil War in 1628; although the phrase was around earlier and even appears in the New Testament – John 3:18.

At the drop of a hat – to begin something – dates from the 19th century when dropping a hat signaled the start of many a sporting contest: a fight, or race, for example.

Hit the sack – to take to one’s bed – comes from the time when beds were often sacks stuffed with hay, ‘hit the hay’ would also be from the same time, around the late 18th century.

Go back to the drawing board – a comment on a failed design which needs to be rethought – it can be dated to a cartoon by Peter Arno in New Yorker Magazine published on 1st March 1941. A engineer walks away from a crashed aeroplane and utters the now very familiar line.

Call it a day – let’s stop work – first recorded in 1919 as the end of the day’s work (in 1938 we see ‘call it a night’ for the first time); but we also see it in 1838 when ‘call it half a day’ spoke of leaving work early.

Green Idioms

Several words have become part of the language in being used in phrases. Last time we looked at ‘yellow’ and now look at ‘green’.

Green thumb, that is one who has a natural talent for gardening, is first seen as recently as 1938.

Green-eyed monster is first recorded in Shakespeare’s Othello

Green with envy is thought be derived from the green-eyed monster.

Green around the gills is a maritime expression first seen around 1800.

The other man’s grass is always greener dates back even before Petula Clark, to the first century BC and to the Greek poet Ovid.

Green light is first used to describe approval in 1937, although red and green lights had been used for stop and go respectively since 1883 – such lights being used only at night when it was impossible to see the semaphore flags.

Greenhorn, used to describe someone inexperienced, dates from the 15th century when it was used to describe immature bulls whose horns had net to fully grow.

Greenback, a reference to US dollar, dates from the American Civil War when emergency paper currency was issued with a green back: Demand Notes in 1861-62 and United States Notes 1862-65.

Green collar worker was first used in the 1970s, although it has only become popular in the last two decades, and used to describe those who seek employment in jobs which will not unduly affect the environment.

Green cheese was originally, in the 14th century, used to describe something which was fresh or new – whether this has any link to the idea that the moon was made of green cheese is unclear.

Greenroom is first seen in 1701, presumably this room for actors who are not on stage would have been painted green.

Lord Brooke

In Dam Street at Stowe Pool on the side of Brooke House, a blue plaque marks an historic event. March 2nd 1643, Lord Brooke, a general of the parliamentarian forces was preparing to beseige the close at Lichfield, then garrisoned for King Charles I. On the spot marked by the plaque he was shot through the forehead and was killed. The marksman had positioned himself on the great steeple of the cathedral. That marksman was none other than John Dyott, although more often known as Dumb Dyott, who had been placed there to annoy the opposition for (as evidenced by the soubriquet) he was not considered of much help. It is generally considered to be among the luckiest shots in history.