More American Idioms - The Origins of Common American Words and Phrases

When we think back to the words that didn't survive their era, like 'groovy' or '…totally', it's interesting to note the ones that have survived. Who knows why some survive, and some do not. Refer to Stephanie D's article "Does Language Define Us?" to determine your own opinion. Also, some are regional like 'y'all' in the south and 'wicked' in the north. Below are idioms that have survived not for just a while, but over hundreds of years! Keep a few of these definitions in the back of your mind to stump the next trivia master you meet.

One Red Cent
In 1852 pennies were made of a copper-nickel alloy that changed color through the passing of hands. Furthermore, the front was stamped with an Indian in headdress. We all know that the slang term for Indians was redskins. Between the slang and the worn color of the penny, they became known as red cents.

Mind Your Ps and Qs
Even early century breweries had a "tab" system. Though not computerized, the barkeep had a chalkboard behind the bar. Back then, beer and brews were sold in pints and quarts. So, the bartender had a column for Pints and a column for Quarts. When a customer consumed too much, the barkeep may have been known to say, "Mind your Ps and Qs" or be careful how much you drink.

Keep Your Irons in the Fire
Boil this one down to 'be prepared'. At the time in history when a blacksmith was as important as a computer consultant is today, the blacksmith had to be ready to shoe any horse. Iron horseshoes took a long time to heat up to red-hot, pliable metal. Once pulled from the fire, they cooled quickly and could not be hammered. Keeping several horseshoes (or irons) in the fire meant that the blacksmith could work on them consecutively without losing time.

Let the Cat Out of the Bag
In medieval markets pigs were commonly sold and traded. In an effort to keep the piglets secure, they were sold in tightly tied bags which the new owner was not to open until he or she was in a safe place at home. Often times, shady traders would put a cat instead of a piglet in the bag. Thus, the buyer wouldn't know the secret until at home. Letting the cat out of the bag also let the secret out.

Once in a Blue Moon
A truly rare occurrence is to witness a full moon twice in one month - however, it does happen. The Farmer's Almanac dates back as far as 1792. A few years later in 1820, Maine became a state. (Not to say that farmers did not keep almanacs before statehood was recognized). Maine farmers would record the full moon in red print for each month. When a second full moon occurred in the same month, the ink was changed to blue. Blue moons have never occurred in the month of February.

The Writing is on the Wall
Back in the Bible days kings ruled. Belshazzar was a king in the time of Daniel. And just like today, some leaders were crooked back then. In the book of Daniel in the Old Testament it is written that Belshazzar had stolen from the temple in Jerusalem. Later at a party a finger appeared and wrote a message to the king on the wall. It indicated that his days were numbered; Belshazzar was killed later that night. So, the writing on the wall indicates inevitable circumstances are about to occur.

Close But No Cigar
There was a time in history where the carnival was the center of entertainment. Games in particular gave out prizes to shooting marksmen or those with a keen eye. Cigars were often given as the prize. If a man (or woman) made a clean shot that came close to the target, but not exactly on target, they were praised for being close - but not actually getting the cigar.

These are just a few of the idioms we still use today that make English a very difficult language to understand for some second language learners. Think about the phrases created in the times that we now live that may keep their worth throughout the centuries!