Reader Opinions
Anonymous – (the devil is beating his wife) October 6, 2021
Grew up in southwestern Virginia near Mt. Rogers where a lot of Scotch-Irish settled. Heard this expression all my life.
Anonymous – (the devil is beating his wife) October 5, 2021
Grew up in East Tennessee and my grandmother (94 years old, now) would say “the devil is beating his wife” during a sunshower. I just sat through a sunshower and this expression came to mind. Happy to find more info about it! My family are descended from Scotch-Irish, lots of interesting idioms. My husband’s Michigan family have never heard this.
Stanley G Johnson – (the devil is beating his wife) October 2, 2021
Grew up in Nebraska and never heard it. Been in Arkansas 40 years and heard it first from a person who grew up in southern part of state (Monticello). Hardly ever hear it anymore. Interesting that the common element in all variants seems to be an unlikely marriage–like rain and sunshine. The idea of a devil’s wife implies marriage. The beating part is still a mystery. Sunshowers today in Little Rock.
Anonymous – (bite the bullet) October 1, 2021
I thought this idioms came from the Civil War in the US?
SB – (scratch back) September 28, 2021
This is not supported by Oxford and I suspect is an example of how folk etymology is attracted to supposedly sinister origins for ordinary things. There are similar idioms in many languages such as one hand washes the other and it seems highly unlikely the English version has a different origin.
Jesse Fraumlyn – (great minds think alike) September 27, 2021
I read that, dull minds think alike; great minds think on the same pattern!
Jerry – (in the bad books) September 26, 2021
On your entry relating to the phrase “in the good books” you say that the usage of “bad books” came first with “good books” coming later as it’s opposite.
In your entry here on “bad books” you say that the earliest printed record of that idiom was 1861. The conclusion then is that “good books” came some time after 1861. But the line “I see he is not in your good books” appears in ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ which was written by Shakespeare in 1612.
Did you do any research whatsoever in creating this page or are you just kind of making it up? I mean, you missed Shakespeare.
Thomas – (keep your friends close and your enemies closer) September 26, 2021
History tells us that its best to keep your enemies close and your friends/family/political allies even closer. There are times when they are the ones who blindside you. You know who your enemies are. You don’t know the political allies/“friends” who have it out for you .ie Who killed Julius Caesar after all the great battles he won for Rome? Hundreds /thousands of other examples.
Richard Glaser – (on the ball) September 25, 2021
Thought so too.
After a train accident due to a train collision, the Ball watch co. changed this idiom for the engineers to get on the ball.
songul – (never mind) September 22, 2021
Never mind me, what about you ?
