By Mandy Feder
Watch what you say.
I caught myself speaking a phrase and realizing that I didn”t know how it found its way into common American conversation.
Curious, I began my research.
Here goes: The expression “one fell swoop,” means all at once. But it has nothing to do with falling. Fell comes from the old English word fel, which means cruel, deadly or ruthless. It is the root of the word felon. The expression “one fell swoop” first appeared in Shakespeare”s Macbeth. The sudden death of a character is compared to an eagle swooping down on some chickens and carrying them off.
And then there”s the expression, “load of bull,” which means a lie or exaggeration. The origin does not come from cow chips. The word boul? is an old French verb that means to lie.
Perhaps the most abhorrent is “rule of thumb,” a bit I say regularly, but may not anymore.
The expression is derived from the belief that English law allowed a man to beat his wife with a stick, as long as it is was no thicker than his thumb. It is understood as means of estimation made according to a rough and ready practical rule, not based on science or exact measurement.
Have you ever been between a rock and a hard place?
This phrase is believed to be associated with events surrounding the Bisbee deportations of 1917 in Bisbee, Arizona.
A dispute between copper mining companies and mine workers developed. Some of the workers organized in labor unions and approached company management with demands for better pay and conditions. These were refused and many workers at the mines were forced to be deported to New Mexico.
It is believed that the mine workers were faced with a choice between harsh and underpaid work at the rock face on one hand and unemployment and poverty on the other.
Here”s one of my favorite finds: “Red tape” comes from the custom of tying official government documents with red ribbon.
Short and sweet. That does make sense.
The following is truly a statement of futility.
“Give it the old college try” means to go through the motions, even if little or nothing is accomplished.
How about a cure for what ails you?
“Here”s mud in your eye.”
Some believe the origin of this phrase is Biblical, because Jesus spat in the dirt and rubbed the wet dirt or mud into they eye of a blind man and healed the man”s sight. This phrase is often said as a toast.
The next is an expression that is believed to have combined the original words.
“Spitting image,” the original phrase was “spirit and image.” It was used to describe a person who resembled someone who died. When the person was sighted, that person was said to possess the “spirit and image” of the dead. Over time it was shortened to spitting image.
Cosmic.
Here”s one for the fishermen: “Off the hook” means to be freed from an obligation or an unpleasant duty. The phrase is said to originate from fishing with a hook and line. Lucky fish get off the hook.
I had to know where “liar, liar, pants on fire” came from.
Turns out this was one of many scare tactics used by parents. If you lie your pants will catch fire. It is much like the story of Pinocchio with the lesson being, if you lie, your nose will grow.
I find it fascinating that parents lied to their children in order to teach them not to lie.
OK, on to crazy. “Bats in the belfry” or calling someone “batty” denotes odd behavior. Bats are erratically flying mammals and belfries are bell towers that are found at the top of churches.
Bats in the belfry refers to someone who acts as if he/she has bats wildly flying around in the head.
I had a blast learning about these expressions. You should try it yourself — I double-dog dare you.
Mandy Feder is the Record-Bee managing editor. She can be reached at mandyfeder@yahoo.com or 263-5636 ext. 32.
