History of Everyday Sayings

In this episode, you discover the meaning and history of the saying, "Happy as a Clam". You'll also learn two "Words of the Day". Resource to learn more: "As happy as a clam". Phrase Finder - Phrases.org. Link: https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/as-happy-as-a-clam.html#google_vignette --- Host: Stephen Carter - Website: https://StressReliefRadio.com - Email: CarterMethod@gmail.com --- Technical i...

In this episode, you discover the meaning and origin of "History of Everyday Sayings".  --- Resources: "MEANING AND ORIGIN OF THE PHRASE ‘ROUND ROBIN HOOD’S BARN’". WordHistories.net. Link: https://wordhistories.net/2018/12/05/robin-hoods-barn/ "around Robin Hood's barn". Link: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/around_Robin_Hood%27s_barn --- Words of the Day: Redolent and Davenport --- Host: Stephen...

In this episode, you discover the history and origin of the saying, "A dog is a man's best friend". --- Sources: "Man’s best friend". Phrase Finder". Link: https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/mans-best-friend.html#google_vignette "Man's best friend". "Wikipedia". Link:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man%27s_best_friend?utm_source=chatgpt.com Edwardo Toy, "Man's Best Friend: From Origins to Compani...

In this episode, you discover the origin and historical meaning of the phrase, "In the sticks". In addition, you'll learn the meaning of our three Words of the Day: Mea Culpa  Perspicacious Prescind --- Resources: Etymonline.com: "Origin and history of sticks". Link: https://www.etymonline.com/word/sticks Phrase Finder: "In the sticks". Link: https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/in-the-sticks.html...

In this episode, you discover the origin and meaning of, "Longer Than a Country Mile". In addition, you'll discover the meaning of two Words of the Day, Gargantuan and Ergophobia. --- Resources: "What Is a Country Mile? – Origin & Meaning". "Grammarist.com". Link: https://grammarist.com/idiom/country-mile/ "A Country Mile - What's the meaning of the phrase 'A country mile'?". Phrase Finder. Li...

In 1966, the Rolling Stones recorded "Under My Thumb". What is the centuries-old origin of the phrase "Under The Thumb," and why do so many supposed experts get the origin wrong? In addition to the "Under My Thumb" and "Under The Thumb" phrases, you'll discover the Words of the Year from Merriam-Webster and the Oxford English Dictionaries. --- Resources: "Under the Thumb". "Phrase Finder" - Phrase...

In this episode you discover the origin and meaning of the 600-year old phrase, "Red-Handed" and how it entered Western legal proceedings.  --- Resources and citations: "Caught Red-Handed". GingerSoftware.com. Link: https://www.gingersoftware.com/content/phrases/caught-red-handed "The Bloody Origins of the Phrase 'Caught Red-Handed'". "How Stuff Works". Link: https://people.howstuffworks.com/caugh...

In this episode you discover the meaning and surprising origin of the phrase, "Black Friday". You'll learn how merchants conspired to change it's negative original connotation to one they thought was far more positive. Did it work?  References: "Why Is It Called Black Friday?" . Britannica.com. Link: https://www.britannica.com/story/why-is-it-called-black-friday "Black Friday (shopping)" . Wikiped...

In this episode, you discover the origin and true meaning of "Raising Cain". Resources for further study: "What is the meaning of the phrase raising Cain?". GotQuestions.org. Link: https://www.gotquestions.org/raising-Cain.html "What's the meaning of the phrase 'Raise Cain'?" . "Phrase Finder". Link: https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/raising-cain.html --- Host: Stephen Carter - Website: https://...

In this episode you discover the true meaning and origin of the phrase, "Pie in the Sky". In addition, you'll discover the meaning of two vocabulary words, Lugubrious and Montage. Resources: "Pie In The Sky: Definition, Meaning, and Origin". "U.S. Dictionary". Link: https://usdictionary.com/idioms/pie-in-the-sky/ "Pie in the sky". "Phrase Finder". Link: https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/pie-in-t...

In this episode you discover the true meaning and origin of "Paint the town" and "Paint the town red".   --- Sources: "Paint the town red" . Phrases.org. Link: https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/paint-the-town-red.html "A HYPOTHESIS AS TO THE ORIGIN OF THE PHRASE ‘TO PAINT THE TOWN RED’" .  "Word Histories". https://wordhistories.net/2016/08/26/paint-the-town-red/#:~:text=7%2D:%20A%20SPREE%20AT%2...

In this episode you discover the true meaning and origin of the saying, "Dead Ringer". You also learn the false persistent myth - spread on Facebook - as to the origin of the phrase. Word of the day: Rubicon. Definition and history shared in episode. --- Sources: "Phrase origins linked to burials is dead wrong" by David Williams. AAP FactCheck. Link: https://www.aap.com.au/factcheck/phrase-origins...

In this episode you discover the meaning and reported potential origins of the saying, "Get Your Ducks in a Row". You also discover this episode's "Word of the Day", Magnanimous. Sources: "Why Do We Say “Get Your Ducks in a Row”?". WordSmarts.com. Link: https://wordsmarts.com/ducks-in-a-row/ "Museum Minute: The surprising origin of the phrase, ‘get your ducks in a row'". WyomingPublicMedia.org. Li...

In this episode you discover the origin and true meaning of the sayings, "Spill the Beans" and "Spill the Tea".   References for more information: "Where Does the Phrase 'Spilling the Beans' Come From?" . "Readers Digest. Link: "https://www.rd.com/article/spill-the-beans-meaning/ "Spill the Beans | Meaning, Origin & Examples" . Quillbot.com. Link: https://quillbot.com/blog/idioms/spill-the-bea...

In this episode, you discover the origin and true meaning of the phrase, "Take it with a grain of salt". --- Resources: "Take It With a Grain of Salt | Meaning & Examples" . Quilbot.com. Link: https://quillbot.com/blog/idioms/take-it-with-a-grain-of-salt/ "Where Did the Phrase “Take It with a Grain of Salt” Come From? ". Reader's Digest. Link: https://www.rd.com/article/take-it-with-a-grain-of...

As youngsters interact, sooner or later one young person will challenge another to do something dangerous, stupid, or pointless. Phrases like, "I dare you", "I double dare you", and - when those words don't get the desired effect - the challenge will be elevated to, "I double dog dare you!".  In this episode you discover how old this challenge is and how it came to be. --- Host: Stephen Carter - W...

In this episode you discover the true meaning and origin of the phrase, "The fly in the ointment". --- References: "A fly in the ointmen" . "Grammarphobia". Link: https://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2021/04/fly-in-the-ointment.html "A fly in the ointment" . "Phrase Finder". Link: https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/fly-in-the-ointment.html "Weather Words: Fly In The Ointment" . "Weather Underground...

In this episode you'll discover the meaning and origin of the phrase, "Bury the Hatchet". Sources: "'Stand your butt up': Fistfight nearly breaks out during Senate hearing until Bernie Sanders steps in" . NBC News. Link: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/stand-butt-fistfight-nearly-breaks-senate-hearing-bernie-sanders-steps-rcna125140 "Hatchet" . Wikipedia.org. Link: https://en.wikipedia.o...

Merriam-Webster dictionary added 200 words and phrases in 2024. Other dictionaries added even more.  In this episode you and I explore some of the new most interesting and unusual words, phases, and slang that have found there way into dictionaries and daily use. --- Sources cited in this episode: "Origin and Real Meaning for 'Good Enough for Government Work'" . Podcast epiisode from "History of E...

In this episode you discover the original meaning, the current meaning, and origin of the phrase, "Fish or Cut Bait". --- Sources - citations: Author Candace Osmond; from "GRAMMARIST". "Fish or Cut Bait – Meaning, Synonym and Origin". Link: https://grammarist.com/idiom/fish-or-cut-bait/ "Fish or cut bait". "Dictionary.com". Link: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/fish-or-cut-bait "Fish or cut bait...

In this episode you and I investigate the origin and meaning of "Leave no stone unturned". You'll discover it's how it's history extends back more than 2,000 years and when it found it's way into English. --- Sources: "Leave no stone unturned" . Dictionary.com. Link: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/leave--no--stone--unturned# "Leave No Stone Unturned" . "TheIdioms.com". Link: https://www.theidio...

In this episode you discover the defination and origin history of the saying, "By Hook or by Crook". We also look at the historical use of "Crook" and "Crooked". Sources: "What's the meaning of the phrase 'By hook or by crook'?". "Phrase Finder". Link: https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/by-hook-or-by-crook.html "Definition of 'crook'". "Collins Dictionary". Link: https://www.collinsdictionary.com...

In this episode you discover the meaning and origin of this centuries old phrase, "If Wishes Were Horses, Beggars Would Ride".  You'll also learn other surprising related sayings. --- Sources: "If wishes were horses, beggars would ride". Phrase Finder. Link: https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/if-wishes-were-horses-beggers-would-ride.html "IF WISHES WERE HORSES, BEGGARS WOULD RIDE".  "The Idioms"....

In this episode you and I explore the true meaning and origin of the phrase, "Hit the Nail on the Head". We also look at two other phrases related to hammers and nails. References: Meaning of "Hit the Nail on the Head" from Ginger Software. Link: https://www.gingersoftware.com/content/phrases/hit-the-nail-on-the-head# "The meaning and origin of the expression: Hit the nail on the head" . Phrase Fi...

In this episode you discover the true meaning and origin of the phrase, "The devil is in the details". Citations / sources: "What Does The Devil Is in the Details Mean? (Dissecting This Idiom)". "wikiHow". Link: https://www.wikihow.com/The-Devil-Is-in-the-Details# "The Phrase Finder" . "The meaning and origin of the expression: The devil is in the details". Link: https://www.phrases.org.uk/meaning...