10 Bizarre Phrases And What They Mean

The South is known for it's colorful language, but many interesting phrases exist outside of our region but did you ever think about how some of them came about?

Below is a list of 10 bizarre English phrases and what they actually mean.

1
Mad As A Hatter
Usage: Insane
Meaning: In the 18th and 19th centuries, mercury was used in and hat making and hat makers were subject to mercury poisoning
2
Bite The Bullet
Usage: Doing something unpleasant
Meaning: In WWI soldiers undergoing surgery being without anesthetic would literally bite a bullet to deal with the pain.
3
Kick The Bucket
Usage: To Die
Meaning: In a lynching, someone would kick the bucket out from underneath the person being hanged.
Lindsay Marie Dunagan
Lindsay Marie Dunagan
4
Win Hands Down
Meaning: To win with ease
Origin: In horse racing, a jockey who was far enough ahead of his competitors could cross the finish line without using a whip would 'win hands down'.
5
Skeleton In The Closet
Meaning: hiding something
Origin: Dissecting human bodies was illegal until the 1830's, so grave-robbers and murderers supplied medical schools and doctors with bodies which were hidden in the event of raids.
6
Eat Humble Pie
Meaning: To swallow one's pride
Origin: Umble means loin which poor people often ate.
Land O Lakes
Land O Lakes
7
Butter Up
Origin: To flatter
Meaning: A figurative way of smothering some one in pleasantries.
etsy shop rockmyworldinc
etsy shop rockmyworldinc
8
Skin Of Your Teeth
Meaning: Barely managing to accomplish something.
Origin: Job 19: 20: ‘My bone clings to my skin and to my flesh, And I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.’
iStock
iStock
9
Point Blank
Meaning: Up close
Origin: The white circle at the center of the target for archery or shooting practice.
Fuse
Fuse
10
Raining Cats And Dogs
Meaning: Raining very hard
Origin: Historical accounts suggest that frogs were whipped into the air during a storm and came back down again with the rain.

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