Have you ever heard someone say a phrase and wonder where it came from? There are many expressions that we use often that don’t really make sense…or do they?
Macaroni in Yankee Doodle
Why did Yankee Doodle put a feather in his hat and call it macaroni? In 1700-1800s, rich people would buy the most expensive meal to impress their friends, which back then was macaroni. Meanwhile in the fashion industry, everything was big and bold and expensive, one popular look being feathers and such in hats. Both were about being expensive and extravagant, so the style was named macaroni. During the American revolution, when the British were making up silly insults, they sang about how Yankee Doodle would only put one feather in his hat and would call it macaroni.
Good Night, Sleep Tight, Don’t Let the Bedbugs Bite
The first part of this saying is wishing you a good night, but the second part goes back to the 17th century when people had beds that were strung with rope, and regularly had to use a device to turn the rope so that their beds stayed ‘tight’ and were comfortable to sleep on. The last part of this saying refers to little bugs that live in certain types of mattresses and live on human or animal blood. Don’t worry though, bed bugs are not as common anymore!
Bite the Bullet
To bite the bullet means to brace for something bad. This saying origanated from times of war when soldiers would be given bullets to chew on while they were given medical attention. They would literally ‘bite the bullet’ to brace for the pain of surgery.
Take it With a Grain of Salt
You would take something ‘with a grain of salt’ if you’re skeptical of something, or not so sure if it’s true. Nobody is sure where this saying comes from, but in 77 A.D, when Pliny the Elder was translating the antidote for a poison, he said to take it with a grain of salt. Some people say that other countries introduced it in the 20th century saying instead take it with a pinch of salt, later becoming take it with a grain of salt.
At the Drop of a Hat
In the early 19th century, a drop of a hat would be used to signal the start of a race or fight. The drop of the hat prompted people to act quickly, which later shifted to the meaning of the phrase today.
Some sayings are confusing and nobody really knows where they came from. But hopefully you’ve learned a bit about these common ones. Maybe you can impress your friends with your new history knowledge.
Works Cited
Chakraborty, Sudipta. “Mad as a Hatter: Global efforts to reduce mercury emissions.” Vanderbilt University, 18 February 2013, https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2013/02/18/mad-as-a-hatter/. Accessed 7 May 2024.
Kuehn, Kelly. “What Does “Take It with a Grain of Salt” Mean? | Trusted Since 1922.” Reader’s Digest, 20 October 2021, https://www.rd.com/article/take-it-with-a-grain-of-salt/. Accessed 7 May 2024.
Osmond, Candace. “At the Drop of a Hat – Idiom, Origin & Meaning.” Grammarist, https://grammarist.com/idiom/at-the-drop-of-a-hat/. Accessed 7 May 2024.
