Origin of Idioms

 

Origins of Idioms

I’m a lover of the etymology of old idioms.  When I discover the origins of these old familiar sayings, I am tickled pink.  For example, the origin of “tickled pink” dates back to 1922 and alludes to a person’s face turning pink with laughter due to being tickled and therefore indicating pleasure or happiness.  Recently, while driving in the car with my eldest son, we encountered a roadkill being devoured by turkey vultures.  I immediately blurted out they were acting like a “duck on a Junebug” to which my son was puzzled.  Having never heard of that term before; I explained it to him.  The origin of this phrase is not definitively documented but of course, indicates the swiftness with which something occurs.  I’m sure my son would readily know what “barking up the wrong tree” implies since he is a hunter.  In the 19^th century the phrase was coined referencing a hunting dog that has treed a raccoon but has chosen to bark at mistakenly the wrong tree.  This phrase was quoted in stories and discussions as early as 1830s by well-known frontiersman, Davy Crockett.

 I always like to refer to my granddaughters as “cute as a button”.  Upon researching this phrase, I found that cute is short for “acute” meaning sharp-witted or clever.  Some theories see the phrase as referring to a button quail which is small and cute.  Others contend that the phrase is in reference to a flower (bachelor button).  In any case the saying is to all references describing someone who is small and appealing.  Buttons are often associated with neatness, orderliness and a sense of smallness. It most likely evolved from the English saying, “bright as a button”.  Buttons, especially military ones, were known to be polished and shiny and thus bright.

“Madder than an old wet hen” is one that I remember my mother using.  It originated in the Appalachian Mountains and referred to how angry a hen gets when doused with water.  Apparently when the hen was overprotective of their eggs and tried to deter the farmer from collecting them, the farmer would dunk the hen’s head into a bucket of cold water to make them comply.   “Road hard and put up wet” is another idiom I remember from my childhood.  This saying refers to a horse who is not allowed to cool down after working up a sweat while running.  Horses should have their saddles removed, receive grooming and be allowed to walk a bit before being housed.  This idiom is used to describe those that are overworked, ill-treated or neglected and not cared for properly.  This phrase was popularized by western singer Tennessee Ernie Ford.

I could probably go on for days about all of the different idioms I’ve heard, but I don’t want to beat a dead horse!

Tammy Harvey  6/13/2025