Reader Opinions
Larry Adams – (break a leg) August 26, 2024
I once heard that it was coined after John Wilkes Booth broke his leg after killing President Lincoln while jumping from the box to the stage.
Rex – (knock on wood (touch wood)) August 12, 2024
I was told at a very young age that knock on wood met you would have good luck. My family and I were loggers in Alaska and Oregon and I was told that knock on wood was a logging term when you wanted or you needed some “Good Luck”.
Chris – (forty winks) August 10, 2024
I would suggest the original use of the phrase was ironic humour; Forty being a derivative of “fortifying” and wink which – unlike in the explanation above, was not closing “ones eyes” but closing “one eye”. You could have a fortifying sleep but not a wink; a wink being too short (micro seconds). Not having a wink of sleep means you could not even sleep for a second.
Anonymous – (hit the road) August 10, 2024
I think this misses some context in that the phrase “hit the road” is only used for a long journey by car, typically intercity travel. You don’t hit the road to go under an hour home, you hit the road to go from Chicago to NYC.
“Might as well stay for supper, I don’t want to hit the road on an empty stomach.”, “We hit the road at 5AM so we’d be clear out of the city before rush hour”, or “If I don’t hit the road by 3, I’ll miss check in at our hotel that ends at 8.”
Jeffrey A Carlton – (when pigs fly) August 7, 2024
Who knows, if Kamala becomes president in 2024 then you’ll know for sure that pigs can fly (although maybe I should say if Biden gets ends up taking back his nomination and getting re-elected – both will be moments to look up and expect to see that pig flying overhead.)
Casya – (bell the cat) August 5, 2024
Part of the text structure of the story Bell the Cat?
Henning Sundstedt – (branch out) August 3, 2024
A person who is orange coloured and yellow livered, what is that person like, please?
Kind regards
Jay Hirsch – (grass is always greener on the other side) August 2, 2024
The phrase “The grass seems greener on the other side” illustrates how people often perceive other situations or possessions as better than their own. For example, if you and I were neighbors with a shared lawn, and we both installed identical turf grass, your grass might appear greener to you compared to your own. Because you see the grass blade sides, my grass looks more vibrant. Look down at your grass to see the soil between the blades. If I were to view your grass from the same perspective, I would see the same effect: your grass would appear greener to me. Essentially, we both perceive the other’s grass as greener because we are viewing it from a different angle and do not see the soil in our own yards.
Chirs – (down to earth) July 30, 2024
Isn’t simply the anti thesis of having your head in the clouds?
Bob – (take turns) July 29, 2024
May be related to “turnspit” dogs. Often in pairs, they would take turns running in the wheel to drive the roasting spit.