The gap between those who can access and use digital technology and those who can't
There are countless phrases that many of us use every day without ever questioning their origins. Sure, some of them kind of make sense and we get the gist of it, but others actually have quite dark beginnings, and many of us are oblivious to that fact. Some of these phrases are deeply rooted in history, from medieval battlefields to slavery; these are phrases we use in this day and age that have indeed come a long way, and from very grim places.
Browse through the following gallery and learn about the dark origins of these common phrases.
Probably one of the most popular phrases you'll hear throughout your entire life. First as a student, and then as an employee. Hopefully you won't die if you don't meet these deadlines, but crossing the original deadline would have that result!
A deadline was an actual line drawn on Civil War prisons. If a prisoner escaped and crossed that line, he would be killed. Not quite the same consequence as not responding to an email, right?
A few years later, the term became popular after its use in 1811’s Battle of Albuera, when British officer William Inglis supposedly told his men: "Stand your ground and die hard … make the enemy pay dear for each of us!"
To "wash one's hands" of something is to discard any kind of responsibility in a given situation. What, exactly, is the context for this?
This is literally what Pontius Pilate did, when he condemned Jesus Christ to die on the cross.
The phrase essentially means doing something/making a difficult decision that we've been hesitant to make.
It can be traced back to soldiers in battle who would have to go under emergency procedures without anesthesia or alcohol to numb the pain. They'd have to literally bite down on a bullet instead.
You know, when things get a little wild, crazy, or out of control. The word Amok comes from the Amuco, a band of Javanese and Malay warriors who would go on killing sprees for unknown reasons. There was believed to be some sort of mental condition afflicting those peoples.
Captain James Cook wrote about it in 1772: “To run amok is to … sally forth from the house, kill the person or persons supposed to have injured the Amock, and any other person that attempts to impede his passage.”
We've all heard it after someone sneezes. But why do we say it specifically after sneezing?
Its origins can be traced back to the plague. It was used to express a desire for your soul to remain in your body, because the Black Death could take it.
One is "sold down the river" when one is victim of a betrayal, or you got screwed over/cheated by someone. The expression was used in reference to slave trade.
Slaves would literally be sold and sent down the Mississippi River to work on plantations in the South.
This is a popular phrase usually used to describe false sorrow and faking an emotional response. But the whole phrase is based on a medieval myth.
People back then believed that crocodiles actually cried tears of sadness while they killed and ate their prey.
This one is fairly easy to associate with the Mad Hatter in Lewis Carroll’s book 'Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.'
But the character himself is quite dark. Back in Victorian times, men were actually suffering from mental health problems caused by exposure to mercury, which was used to make felt hats more flexible.
"Pulling my leg" is usually used when someone is trying to fool us, or playing us in a way. It's a popular expression in the UK, and it can be traced back to Victorian London.
Back then, dragging a person by the leg was a common way for robbers to get their hands on one's possessions.
We tend to associate this phrase with things getting out of control and the destruction that may come with it.
The origins of the phrase actually mean the same, but it was used on the battlefield to give soldiers permission to do whatever they wanted, including committing slaughter. The practice was actually outlawed in England in the 1300s.
This expression is often used when something has gone wrong. But what does it mean, really?
"Snafu" comes from the World War II military acronym S.N.A.F.U., which stands for Situation Normal, All [ ] Up. Which, in the context of war, means exactly that.
This expression is often used when one is caught off guard, not expecting something. It's origins are also quite dark.
It comes form the idea of attacking someone from behind. The element of surprise usually makes it an effective way to conduct an attack.
This phrase is used when a person is scammed, such as being cheated out of money or sold a poor-quality product. The origins are based on prejudice against Romani people, often referred to as gypsies.
We've all seen moments when crowds bum-rush the field when their teams win an important game. It essentially means a great force. Its origins? Well, it was used back in the 19th century to convey eviction or dismissal of freeloaders in saloons.
William Shakespeare has made a huge contribution to the English language. He is credited for inventing numerous phrases and words. "Be-all, end-all" is one of them.
The phrase is used to describe a defining moment/the most important thing in a scenario. The playwright first used it when Macbeth was about to kill the king in his famous play 'Macbeth.'
Sources: (Reader's Digest) (History)
See also: Common English words and phrases you'll be surprised to know have racist origins
Everyday phrases with surprisingly dark origins
Have you ever told someone to just "bite the bullet?"
LIFESTYLE Curiosities
There are countless phrases that many of us use every day without ever questioning their origins. Sure, some of them kind of make sense and we get the gist of it, but others actually have quite dark beginnings, and many of us are oblivious to that fact. Some of these phrases are deeply rooted in history, from medieval battlefields to slavery; these are phrases we use in this day and age that have indeed come a long way, and from very grim places.
Browse through the following gallery and learn about the dark origins of these common phrases.