Where Do Idioms Come From?
- J Ryan Fenzel
- Oct 15
- 3 min read
The Origins and Endurance of Timeless Expressions of Speech
Idioms are the salt of our language. They provide flavor and richness to conversation and communications. Many of us use idiomatic expressions almost daily. They offer a sort of verbal shorthand to convey broad or complex thoughts in a cultural catchphrase that is easy to decode and understand.
Per the dictionary definition, an idiom “is a group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words.” That’s a mouthful.
But do you know where idioms come from?
That’s not a trick question. Many of the most renown idiomatic expressions have origins dating back centuries. The fact that they persevere from generation to generation is an amazing thing. For example, the idiom “the die is cast” indicates a decision has been made that cannot be reversed. The origin of this expression is traced back to Julius Caesar’s time (49BC) and relates to the casting of dice in a game of chance. Specifically, Caeser uttered these words after he made a military decision that could not be undone in his quest to seize power in Rome.
Not everybody catches on to every idiom they hear. There is a scene in the 2006 movie The Pink Panther starring Steve Martin where a murder suspect proclaims he is glad the victim is “pushing up daisies.” The dim-witted Inspector Clouseau insists the victim is dead, not pushing up daisies. When informed the expression is an idiom, Clouseau angrily responds, “You, sir, are the idiom!”
I can empathize with the inspector’s plight. Idiomatic expressions ride the ebb and flow of cultural awareness, some fading from memory as usage of certain words fall by the wayside. To describe a person who is drunk or intoxicated, my grandmother used to say he was “three sheets to the wind,” invoking an image of a ship’s sails not tied down properly and blowing wildly on the mast. When discussing idioms with my daughter during our recent podcast episode she revealed she had never heard that expression before. Our culture has moved on from describing intoxication with this expression. I believe my generation may be the last to know what this idiom means.
Cultures, however, never stop generating new idiomatic expressions. Modern examples of new idioms include “my bad,” “ghosting,” and “coffee badging.” Will these expressions of speech survive to future generations? Time will tell.
What is certain, though, is there are hundreds of idioms that have already stood the test of time, like “don’t rock the boat,” “raining cats and dogs,” and “can’t hold a candle to.” With these and many other expressions of speech it is a marvel to think about how they have persisted in our verbal culture. So, the next time you catch yourself using an idiom, stop and wonder where it came from and why it is still in use. Look up its origin if you are so inclined. The history you uncover will likely be worth the effort.
If you are interested in hearing more about idioms and their origins, listen to Episode 33: More Idioms, More Origins on THE WRITE NOTE podcast, hosted by me and my author/daughter co-host Keira F Jacobs. (Link to the episode below)
And if you wish to dig into the origins of some idioms on your own, try this idiom-focused website. The Idioms | Largest Idioms Dictionary
Until next post…
J Ryan Fenzel
Website: www.jryanfenzel.com
The Write Note podcast page: https://the-write-note.captivate.fm
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