English is a fascinating language, full of words and phrases with interesting stories behind them. Its origins can be traced back to the 5th and 6th centuries when tribes such as the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes migrated to England from what is now northwest Germany. These Anglo-Saxon settlers spoke similar Germanic dialects that formed the basis of Old English.
Over the centuries, the language evolved, borrowing words from other languages and simplifying its complex grammar. After the Norman Conquest of 1066, English mixed heavily with French and Latin, absorbing many new words that enriched its vocabulary. Between the 14th and 17th centuries, vowel pronunciations changed dramatically, which is why many English words today are pronounced very differently from how they are spelled.
One of the most fun parts of English is idioms—phrases where the meaning isn’t obvious from the individual words. For example, “pig in a poke” means buying something without checking it first, and “by hook or by crook” means achieving a goal by any means. These expressions often come from old stories, everyday life, or even medieval times, and they make conversations, books, and movies more colorful and entertaining. In this article, we’ll explore 25 popular idioms, their meanings, and the fascinating stories behind them.
Back in medieval England, people believed the pupil of the eye was a tiny, solid ball shaped like an apple. Since this delicate part of the eye was vital for sight, it was seen as precious and worth guarding carefully. From this idea grew the phrase “apple of the eye,” a poetic way to describe someone or something dearly loved. The expression even appears in the Bible, symbolizing God’s deep affection, and has continued through the centuries as a timeless term of endearment.
This phrase may not date back to medieval times, but it still has an intriguing history. When we say “take it with a pinch of salt” today, we mean that a claim should be treated with skepticism. to view something, specifically claims that may be misleading or unverified, with skepticism or not to interpret something literally.In the ancient world, though, salt had a very different association. People believed that a touch of salt made food easier to swallow. Centuries later, scholars rediscovering these old texts in the 1600s gave rise to the modern figurative meaning. By the 20th century, “grain” had shifted into “pinch,” and that’s the phrasing we still sprinkle into conversations today.
The expression “by hook or by crook” can be traced back to the 14th century and is thought to have sprung from medieval forest laws. In those days, commoners were allowed to gather firewood from royal lands, but only under strict conditions. They could cut branches from fallen trees using a billhook, or pull them down with a shepherd’s crook. This limited right of access may have given rise to the saying, which eventually grew to mean achieving something through whatever methods are available—fair or not. Though its precise origin is debated, the phrase has survived for centuries as a shorthand for relentless determination in the face of obstacles.
These days, when we talk about a “nest egg,” we usually mean money saved up for the future. But back in the 14th century, the term had nothing to do with coins or banks. Instead, it came from a clever trick practiced by peasant farmers. They used to deliberately leave one egg behind in a hen’s nest, believing it would encourage the bird to keep laying more in that same spot. By the 1600s, the phrase had taken on a new meaning, shifting from poultry pens to personal finances, and came to represent a sum carefully put aside as security for the days ahead.
When we “throw down the gauntlet” today, it means we’re daring someone to a confrontation. The phrase comes straight out of the world of medieval chivalry, when knights in full armor would literally cast one of their metal gloves onto the ground as a bold signal of challenge. The term gauntlet itself comes from the French gantelet, referring to the heavy, protective gloves worn in battle. Picking it up meant accepting the duel. As centuries passed and the armor faded out of fashion, the gesture lived on—any glove tossed before another became a symbolic way to demand a fight. Even into the 1700s, across Europe and America, dropping a glove was still a dramatic way to question someone’s honor.
The phrase “full tilt” originates from medieval jousting, where two knights would charge at each other on horseback with lances, aiming to knock their opponent from the saddle. The term “tilt” comes from the Old English words tealt or tylte, meaning to totter or unsteady, which made sense as an early name for jousting. Full tilt described the moment when horses were galloping at maximum speed toward one another, emphasizing the dangerous, breakneck pace of the charge. The word tilt first appeared in the early 1500s, with full tilt emerging in the early 1600s. Today, the phrase is used more broadly to describe doing something at full speed or with maximum effort, echoing the intensity of those historic jousts.
The phrase “a piece of cake” is commonly used to describe a task that is very easy to accomplish. Its origins are often traced back to the 1930s, when the Royal Air Force reportedly used it to describe simple missions, metaphorically comparing the ease of the task to the sweetness and softness of eating a dessert. Another theory suggests the saying comes from the 1870s, when easy-to-win competitions awarded cakes as prizes, linking the reward to simplicity. Today, the idiom appears frequently in everyday speech and literature to indicate something effortless, and can be replaced with expressions like “no problem” or “a breeze.”
The phrase “break the ice” refers to doing or saying something that helps people feel more at ease in a new or tense situation. It is often used when strangers meet for the first time or when a group feels awkward. For example, someone might suggest a party game to break the ice, helping everyone relax and interact. Similarly, a well-timed joke at the start of a conference can break the ice, easing tension and encouraging conversation.
Back in the 15th century, church calendars used red ink to highlight feast days and the celebrations of saints, while the rest of the days were written in plain black. These bright markings made special occasions stand out instantly. Over time, such days became known as “red-letter days,” a phrase that has survived to describe any event worth remembering or celebrating—whether it’s a wedding, a holiday, or even the day you land your dream job.
Back in medieval England, bakers had a reputation for cheating customers by selling loaves that were lighter than promised. To stop this, the Assize of Bread and Ale of 1262 introduced strict rules on weight and measure. The punishments for breaking the law were harsh, so bakers came up with a clever solution: when someone bought a dozen loaves, they would quietly add an extra one. Over time, this habit of giving thirteen instead of twelve became known as a “baker’s dozen”—a phrase that still carries the idea of a little more than expected, whether out of caution or kindness.
When we say someone is “currying favor,” we usually mean they’re trying to win approval through flattery. The phrase, however, began its life quite differently. In Middle English, it appeared as “curry favel,” adapted from the Old French estriller fauvel, meaning “to groom a chestnut horse.” This image came from the 14th-century French satire Le Roman de Fauvel, in which the horse Fauvel personified hypocrisy and deceit. In the story, those who brushed and pampered the horse did so to gain personal advantage. The allegory became so influential that the expression slipped into common use to describe people who used smooth words or gestures for selfish ends. By the 16th century, the unfamiliar favel had been replaced with favor, giving us the modern phrase we still recognize today.
The phrase “devil’s advocate” comes directly from the Latin advocatus diaboli, the title once used within the Roman Catholic Church. Beginning in the early 16th century, the Church created an official role for a man whose duty was to oppose the canonization of a potential saint. His job was to present every possible criticism—whether about character, actions, or reputation—so that the case for sainthood would be tested with the utmost scrutiny. Because of this practice, the position became popularly known as the Devil’s Advocate. Long after the Church formalized the role, the term passed into everyday language, now referring to anyone who argues the “other side” of an issue, not out of malice but to challenge the strength of an argument.
The origins of “hue and cry” go back to medieval England, when catching criminals was considered a duty shared by the whole community. Anyone who witnessed a crime had to make as much noise as possible—yelling, shouting, and calling out—so neighbors would join the chase and help capture the offender. The word “hue” itself comes from the Old French huer, meaning “to shout.” By the 12th century, the phrase had entered English law as a formal obligation. Today, although we no longer use it to summon villagers to catch thieves, the expression survives to describe any loud outcry of protest or alarm.
Back in medieval markets, animals and meat were often sold inside cloth sacks, known as pokes. Buyers who didn’t bother to open the bag sometimes got an unpleasant surprise—thinking they had purchased pork or a piglet, only to discover a far less appetizing creature inside. From this practice grew the phrase “pig in a poke”, which describes the risk of accepting something without checking its true nature. Over time, the idiom has broadened beyond markets; today it refers to any deal, purchase, or idea taken at face value, without proper inspection. Related sayings such as “letting the cat out of the bag” and “to buy a pup” carry the same cautionary message: don’t be deceived by appearances.
The phrase “No Man’s Land” is most famously linked to World War I, when it described the deadly stretch of ground between opposing trench lines. But its roots reach back centuries earlier. In the Domesday Book of 1086, it already appeared as a label for unclaimed or disputed land, with some sites near London even used for executions. By the 14th century, the term had become a common way of describing land owned by no one. Today, beyond its wartime associations, No Man’s Land survives as a powerful metaphor for any contested, abandoned, or undefined space—whether in geography, law, or everyday life.
The saying “blood is thicker than water” highlights the strength of family bonds over other relationships. Its earliest traces can be found in 13th-century German writings, where the idea appeared that blood ties could not be weakened by water, possibly a reference to baptism. By the early 15th century, the proverb was recorded in English, drawing on the contrast that water leaves no trace while blood leaves a lasting mark. Over time, the phrase came to be widely used as a reminder that kinship and loyalty to family often outweigh friendships or other social ties.
The expression “Tom, Dick, and Harry” is often used to describe ordinary or unspecified people. Centuries ago, these names were so common in England that grouping them together became a convenient shorthand for “the average person.” Earlier traditions in medieval Europe already relied on stand-in names: Latin legal texts used Titius, Gaius, and Sempronius, which later appeared in Italian as Tizio, Caio e Sempronio and in French as Pierre, Paul ou Jacques. English eventually developed its own trio, giving us the familiar phrase we still use today to mean “anyone and everyone,” sometimes even dismissively as “just nobodies.”
The old saying “one bad apple spoils the whole barrel” comes from the very real problem of storing fruit—where one rotting apple could quickly spread decay to the rest. Over time, this truth became a metaphor for human behavior, warning that a single corrupt individual can damage an entire group. Geoffrey Chaucer hinted at this lesson in The Cook’s Tale, where he compared immoral companions to rotten fruit. Today, the shortened phrase “bad apple” is used to describe someone who causes problems for others. While many now interpret it to mean an isolated troublemaker, the original proverb stressed the opposite: that one person’s bad influence could corrupt everyone around them.
During the 12th century, Norman settlers arrived in Ireland and, over time, became deeply immersed in local customs and traditions. Their enthusiasm for Irish culture was so strong that it began to worry English authorities. By 1366, the Statutes of Kilkenny were introduced in an attempt to limit this cultural assimilation. Historians later coined the phrase “more Irish than the Irish themselves” to describe the irony of outsiders adopting native ways even more passionately than the locals. Unlike most migration stories, where people move for money, family, or career opportunities, Ireland stands out as a destination many are drawn to primarily for its culture—certainly not for the weather!
The phrase “bite the bullet” is an informal expression used to describe facing a difficult or unpleasant situation because it is necessary, even if you’d rather avoid it. Its origin dates back to times of war or before anesthesia, when patients undergoing surgery were sometimes given a bullet to bite on to help endure the pain. The first known written use of the term appears in the 1891 novel The Light That Failed. Today, it is commonly used to refer to doing something challenging or uncomfortable that one has been postponing—for example, finally spending the money to replace an old, unreliable car.
The expression “caught red-handed” originally comes from medieval law, where a murderer could only be convicted if caught with blood on their hands. Literally, it meant being discovered with a victim’s blood, but over time, its use broadened. Today, it refers to being caught in the act of doing something wrong, with clear evidence of the misdeed. For example, someone might say, “They tried to steal from the store, but were caught red-handed.”
The phrase “to be hanged, drawn, and quartered” refers to a gruesome form of execution used in medieval and early modern Britain and Ireland, primarily for men convicted of high treason. On August 23, 1305, William Wallace was found guilty of treason in London and sentenced to this brutal punishment. He was first drawn to the execution site on a hurdle, then hanged by the neck—but cut down while still alive. His genitals were removed, his bowels extracted and burned, and finally, his head was severed and displayed in tar on a pike on London Bridge as a warning. Wallace’s body was then divided into four parts and distributed according to the king’s orders, illustrating the extreme severity of medieval justice.
The term “freelance” dates back to the early 1800s and was first popularized by Sir Walter Scott in his novel Ivanhoe, where he used it to describe medieval mercenaries. The word “lance” referred to the weapons these soldiers carried, and “free” implied that they were not tied to any lord—they offered their services to the highest bidder. Today, the term has evolved to describe independent workers who choose their clients and projects, often without long-term commitments. In modern usage, freelancers are essentially self-employed professionals, much like the original mercenaries, working for whoever offers them the best opportunity.
The phrase “loose cannon” originates from naval warfare between the 17th and 19th centuries, when cannons were the main weapons on wooden warships. These heavy guns were mounted on rollers and secured with ropes to manage their powerful recoil. If a cannon was not properly fastened, it could break free during firing or as the ship rocked in rough seas, creating a dangerous hazard for sailors on deck. Over time, the term evolved into a figurative expression describing a person who behaves unpredictably or recklessly, potentially causing harm to their own team or group.
The phrase “when pigs fly” is used to indicate that something is extremely unlikely or impossible. For example, one might say, “I might wake up early to clean my room…” and someone else could reply, “Yeah right, you’ll do that when pigs fly.” Similarly, “I’ll learn to dance when pigs can fly” conveys the speaker’s disbelief that it will ever happen. On a lighter note, pigs do have things that genuinely make them happy. [Rh/VP]
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