Where did the little word ‘OK’ come from?
You say it every day without even thinking. It’s the most commonly spoken word on the planet. But do you know from where the word OK originated?
It wasn’t always bad to be a ‘goody two shoes’
The term ‘goody two shoes’ is now used in judgement of someone who is moral to the point of being obnoxious. But today we discover its more positive origins.
Do you ‘jump the gun’? Here’s the origin to this phrase
Do you sometimes anticipate an occasion so highly that you act before it's time? This is what’s colloquially called ‘jumping the gun’ and here’s how this particular idiom originated.
Why would ‘you keep nose to the grindstone’ anyway?
Where did ‘to keep your nose to the grindstone’ originate? Here are two theories on how this popular phrase began. Which do you think is the most plausible?
How the phrase ‘on the ball’ originated
When a person is ‘on the ball’ they are considered to be highly alert and capable. This well-worn phrase has been used for a long time, but what exactly is the ‘ball’?
How did ‘getting off scot-free’ originate?
Have you ever felt the elation of ‘getting off scot-free’? It’s tempting to imagine that this idiom has something to do with the Scottish. The facts, however, suggest otherwise.
Origin of taking ‘with a grain of salt’
Taking what someone says ‘with a grain of salt’ means that you are skeptical about what you’re being told. Can you guess how this phrase originated?
The possible origins of ‘ducks in a row’
To get one’s ducks in a row means to ensure all the finer details of a plan are in place before it begins. People have been using the phrase for a long time but not many know its origin.
Where ‘cut the mustard’ and ‘pass mustard’ originated
There are a number of possible explanations of how the idiom ‘cut the mustard’ originated but two in particular stand out as being most plausible. Which do you think is most likely?
Where did ‘Liar, liar, pants on fire’ come from?
“Liar, liar, pants on fire” – we all remember this chant from our childhoods. Today, we reveal the origin of this popular children’s rhyme.
Where did ‘costs an arm and a leg’ originate?
We can all agree that arms and legs are limbs that no one would consider selling so, where did the phrase ‘costs an arm and a leg’ originate?
Idiom: living the life of Riley
‘Living the life of Riley’ is a popular phrase, but who the heck is or was this Riley and why are we so happy to live his life?
