The Bizarre Origins Behind Idioms We Say All The Time
Alright — it's time to "spill the beans." Most of us use idioms like this in our everyday lives, but when it comes to explaining the actual origins of these phrases, we might have to ask, "Cat got your tongue?" Look, we won't "beat around the bush," because we definitely don't want you to go "barking up the wrong tree": these common English idioms have some of the most bizarre and unexpected origins out there. And no — we're not "pulling your leg" in the slightest.
1. Butter Someone Up
Julia Child had an obsession with butter, always saying, "With enough butter, anything is good." But when it comes to sucking up to someone, all the butter in the world probably won't help. The common English idiom "to butter someone up" was actually inspired by an Indian tradition.
Gift to the Gods
In India, people would seek the favor of the gods by throwing balls of butter at statues of these divine beings. This custom definitely wouldn't work on most mortals, so if you want to impress someone, you better work hard on your charm.
2. Hands Down
If you take it literally, the idiom "hands down" has a more negative meaning, and today's use of the phrase can be for both good and bad circumstances. But back in the day, this idiom was used in praise of a winner. Specifically in the case of horse racing, it took on a whole new meaning.
Guaranteed Victory
During races, jockeys would have their hands on the reigns throughout the entire run, pulling at them in the hope of spurring their horse to victory. But when a horse would pull so far ahead of the field that a win was all but certain, the jockey would take his hands off — or "down" — the reigns, meaning whatever came next was practically undisputable.
