Meaning : To stop a conflict and make peace Once when the British forces signaled for him to stop attacking a fleet of Danish ships, he held up a telescope to his blind eye and said, “I do not see the signal.” He attacked, nevertheless, and was victorious. Origin : The British Naval hero, Admiral Horatio Nelson, had one blind eye. Meaning : To ignore situations, facts, or reality The dogs bark, assuming that the prey is still in the tree, when the prey is no longer there. Origin : This refers to hunting dogs that may have chased their prey up a tree. Meaning : To have misguided thoughts about an event or situation, a false lead (What a treat for the cats!) Barking up the wrong tree Another possible source could be from ancient Egypt, where liars’ and blasphemers’ tongues were cut out and fed to the cats. The pain was so severe that it caused the victim to stay quiet for a long time.
Origin : The English Navy used to use a whip called “Cat-o’-nine-tails” for flogging. Meaning : Asked to a person who is at loss of words The “Mad Hatter Disease” was marked by shyness, irritability, and tremors that would make the person appear “mad.” Cat got your tongue? In 17th century France, poisoning occurred among hat makers who used mercury for the hat felt. Its origins date from the 17th and 18th centuries - well before Lewis Caroll’s book was published. Origin : No, you didn’t already know this one, because it didn’t originate from Lewis Caroll’s Alice in Wonderland. The devout would throw butter balls at the statues of their gods to seek favor and forgiveness. Origin : This was a customary religious act in ancient India. Meaning : To impress someone with flattery This gesture showed affiliation and understanding between two territories. The receiving country would send small ships to “break the ice” to clear a way for the trade ships. At times, the ships would get stuck during the winter because of ice formation. Origin : Back when road transportation was not developed, ships would be the only transportation and means of trade. Meaning : To break off a conflict or commence a friendship. The first recorded use of the phrase was in 1891 in The Light that Failed. 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. Meaning : To accept something difficult or unpleasant Here are the origins of some of the most interesting idioms! Bite the bullet In case you didn’t know, historical events, legends, important figures, religion, and even advertisements form the basis of many expressions and colloquialisms used today.
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