Sayings and
Phrases
For the
6th Grade
How to set up your notebook
• Write on the cover – your name on the top
and Sayings and Phrases in the middle.
• On the first page – write the vocabulary terms
Example
Vocabulary
Expressions—words or phrases that are used to convey ideas or
feelings beyond their dictionary definitions (sayings and
phrases); a group of words used as a unit
Proverbs—are sayings that have been used for many years that
tell truths about life or human nature; a short wise saying used
for a long time by many people
Literal language—words describing actual happenings
Figurative language—expressions stated in an non-literal sense to
give vividness
Quotes—to repeat the exact words of
Phrase—an expression
Aphorisms—a terse sentence expressing a general thought, piece
of practical wisdom (maxim, proverb)
Idiom—a phrase or group of words with a meaning different from
the meaning of the individual words
Cliché—an expression which has lost its significance through
frequent repetitions, a timeworn phrase
What is happening?
How to set up your notebook
• On the second page write – Burst my Bubble
on the top line
• Skip ten lines and draw a line through the
paper
• Write Literal Meaning
• Skip 3 lines and write Figurative Meaning
• Skip 3 lines and write Example
• Skip 4 lines and write Origin
• As we go through each Saying and Phrase you
will follow these steps. In the top portion of the
paper you will draw a picture of the Saying or
Phrase. What you think it means.
• You will then write the Literal Meaning (what
you think it means
• Then you will write the Figurative Meaning
(what it really means)
• Then you will give a short example of the
meaning (an experience or a sentence)
• Last you will write the origin if available
EXAMPLE
Let’s see if we can fill the rest in
Burst my bubble
• This is a literal
interpretation:
you literally
(actually) burst
a bubble.
Another view
“When you told me it was
going to rain on the day
we are supposed to go
to the beach, you burst
my bubble!”
What do you think this
means?
“When you told me it was
going to rain on the day
we are supposed to go
to the beach, you burst
my bubble!”
This is a figurative interpretation
• In this sentence a bubble has not
actually, or literally, been burst; it
means that the rain prediction
dampened the excitement about
the day at the beach.
• “Burst my bubble” is a phrase
used to describe disappointment.
Does anyone want to share an
experience where bubbles were
burst?
Let’s take a look at some other
sayings and phrases
All for one and one for all.
All for one and one for all.
As the Red Dragons headed
onto the field, the soccer
coach reminded them, “All
for one and one for all!”
All for one and one for all.
Meaning
• All the members of a group support each of the individual
members, and the individual members pledge to support
the group.
• Basically it means All have ONE common GOAL, that all are
working for, so they will work together to reach that goal.
It's a great motto for teamwork and the ability to get things
done if all on a team work for it.
"Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno" is the Latin phrase
that it originated from.
It is also known as being the motto of Alexandre Dumas's
Three Musketeers and is also the traditional motto of
Switzerland.
All’s well that ends well.
All’s well that ends well.
At the school dance, Jake managed
to step on Alice’s toes, spill punch
on her dress, and tear his pants.
But when the evening ended and
Alice said, “I hope you’ll ask me
out again,” Jake sighed to himself,
“All’s well that ends well.”
All’s well that ends well.
Meaning
• A risky enterprise is justified so long as it turns
out well in the end.
Origin
• This is, of course, best known from the
Shakespeare play, but it was a proverb before it
was a play title.
• John Heywood included it in A dialogue
conteinyng the nomber in effect of all the
prouerbes in the Englishe tongue, 1546
Bee in your bonnet
Bee in your bonnet
“The school nurse really has a bee
in her bonnet about healthy food.
But I’ll be glad if she does get the
cafeteria to offer a salad bar at
last.”
Bee in your bonnet
Meaning
• Preoccupied or obsessed with an idea.
Origin
• This phrase clearly alludes to the state of agitation
one would be in when finding a bee inside one's
bonnet. It follows on from the earlier expression 'to have bees in one's head', which had much the
same meaning. This is recorded from the 16th
century, for example, in Alexander Douglas's Aeneis,
1513:
• Quhat bern be thou in bed with heid full of beis?
What does All’s well that ends well
mean?
A. Preoccupied or obsessed with an idea.
B. A risky enterprise is justified so long as it
turns out well in the end.
C. All the members of a group support each of
the individual members, and the individual
[Default]
[MC Any]
members pledge to support the group.
[MC All]
The Saying “All for one and one for all”
means all the members of a group
support each of the individual
members, and the individual members
pledge to support the group.
A. True
B. False
Fill in the Blank
“The school nurse really has a
_____in her bonnet about healthy
food. But I’ll be glad if she does get
the cafeteria to offer a salad bar at
last.”
BEE
The best-laid plans of mice and men
oft go awry.
The best-laid plans of mice and men
oft go awry.
Hundreds of men planned
and built the Tower of Pisa,
but it ended up leaning
anyway. The best-laid plans
of mice and men go oft
awry.
The best-laid plans of mice and men
oft go awry.
Meaning
• The most carefully prepared plans may go wrong.
Origin
• From Robert Burns' poem To a Mouse, 1786. It tells of how he,
while plowing a field, upturned a mouse's nest. The resulting
poem is an apology to the mouse:
• But, Mousie, thou art no thy lane [you aren't alone]
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes o' mice an' men
Gang aft a-gley, [often go awry]
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promised joy.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the
bush.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the
bush.
The excited contestant on the game show
had just won a car. “And now,” said the
host, “you can keep the car, or you can give
it back and spin the wheel again to try for
an even better prize!” “Thanks,” replied
the contestant, “I’ll keep the car. A bird in
the hand is better that two in the bush.”
A bird in the hand is worth two in the
bush.
Meaning
• It's better to have a small real advantage than
the possibility of a greater one.
Origin
• This proverb refers back to mediaeval falconry
where a bird in the hand (the falcon) was a
valuable asset and certainly worth more than
two in the bush (the prey).
Bite the dust
Bite the dust
“Despite a gallant effort, the
Blue Demons bite the dust,
and our own Bobcats have
won again!” cheered the
announcer.
Bite the dust
Meaning
• Fall to the ground, wounded or dead.
Origin
• Given the many B-feature cowboy movies in which
the bad guys, or occasionally the pesky redskins,
would 'bite the dust', we might expect this to be of
American origin. It isn't though. The same notion is
expressed in the earlier phrase 'lick the dust', from
the Bible, where there are several uses of it,
including Psalms 72 (King James Version), 1611:
• "They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before
him and his enemies shall lick the dust."
Catch-as-catch-can
Catch-as-catch-can
“We don’t have as many musical
instruments as we do students,”
said the music teacher, “so bring
in your kazoos, your harmonicas,
even empty coffee cans. It’s
pretty much catch-as-catch-can,
but we’ll still sound great.”
Catch-as-catch-can
Meaning
• A phrase that describes a situation in which
people must improvise or do what they can with
limited means: “We don’t have enough textbooks
for all of the students, so it’ll be catch-as-catchcan.”
• Using or making do with whatever means are
available
Origin
• Unknown
Don’t cut off your nose to spite your
face.
Don’t cut off your nose to spite your
face.
Sam was angry. “I studied really hard for
that math test and my grade was
terrible. So you know what I’m going to
do for the next test? I’m not going to
study at all.” “Oh, come on, Sam,” said
Dana. “Don’t cut off your nose to spite
your face.”
Don’t cut off your nose to spite your
face.
Meaning
• Disadvantage yourself in order to do harm to an
adversary.
Origin
• The precise wording 'cut off your nose to spite your
face' doesn't appear in print until the 18th century.
Versions of proverbs that mean much the same thing
date back to the Tudor era. John Heywood's A Dialogue
Conteynyng Prouerbes and Epigrammes, 1562 list this
entry under "Of Spite":
• If there be any, as I hope there be none,
That would lese [lose] both his eyes to lese his foe one,
Then fear I there be many, as the world go'th,
That would lese one eye to lese their foes both.
Don’t lock the stable door after the
horse is stolen
Don’t lock the stable door after the
horse is stolen
Don’t lock the stable door after the
horse is stolen
Meaning
• It's foolish to take precautions after the
damage they would have prevented has
already been done. Another version of this
saying is “Don't close the barn door after the
horse runs away.”
Origin
• Unknown
Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth
Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth
“Alec, I can’t believe you’re giving me your
old bike! Thanks!” Stacie said as she
jumped on and began to play with the
gears. “Say, do all the gears work?” “Don’t
you know better than to look a gift horse
in the mouth, Stacie?” said Alec,
disappointed. “The bike may be old, but
it’ll get you where you want to go.”
Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth
Meaning
• Don't be ungrateful when you receive a gift.
Origin
• As horses age their teeth begin to project further forward each
year and so their age can be estimated by checking how
prominent the teeth are. This incidentally is also the source of
another teeth/age related phrase - long in the tooth.
• The advice given in the 'don't look...' proverb is: when given a
present, be grateful for your good fortune and don't look for
more by examining it to assess its value.
• We have some clues with this one however. The phrase was
originally "don't look a given horse in the mouth" and first
appears in print in 1546 in John Heywood's A dialogue
conteinyng the nomber in effect of all the prouerbes in the
Englishe tongue, where he gives it as:
• "No man ought to looke a geuen hors in the mouth."
Eat humble pie
Eat humble pie
Carlos bragged that he was the
fastest runner in the school,
but he had to eat humble pie
when he came in last at the
time trials..
Eat humble pie
Meaning
• Act submissively and apologetically, especially in
admitting an error.
Origin
• In the USA, since the mid 19th century, anyone
who had occasion to 'eat his words' by
humiliatingly recanting something would be said
to 'eat crow' (previously 'eat boiled crow'). In the
UK we 'eat humble pie'. The unpalatability of
crow, boiled or otherwise, seems clear, but what
about humble pie?
A fool and his money are soon parted
A fool and his money are soon parted
The first time Noah got paid for mowing
a neighbor’s yard, he wanted to rush
out and buy something—anything! But
he remembered his big brother saying
that a fool and his money are soon
parted, and he decided to save his
money for something worthwhile.
A fool and his money are soon parted
Meaning
• Literal meaning.
Origin
• This is quite an early proverb in the English language and,
as such, might be thought to contain the wisdom of the
ancients. The notion was known by the late 16th century,
when it was expressed in rhyme by Thomas Tusser in Five
Hundreth Pointes of Good Husbandrie, 1573:
• A foole & his money,
be soone at debate:
which after with sorow,
repents him to late.
A friend in need is a friend indeed
A friend in need is a friend indeed
• Every day while Mr. Grainey
was sick, his neighbor Charles
went to the house to cook and
read for him. Charles really
proved that a friend in need is
a friend indeed.
A friend in need is a friend indeed
Meaning
• This is one of the phrases in the language that is interesting
because there are various interpretations of the meaning. Firstly, is
it 'a friend in need is a friend indeed' or 'a friend in need is a friend
in deed'. Clearly, that would have a bearing on the meaning.
• The 'in need' is also open to interpretation - is it 'a friend (when
you are) in need' or 'a friend (who is) in need'. If the former, then
the phrase means: 'someone who helps you when you are in need
is a true friend'. If the latter, it is 'someone who needs your help
becomes especially friendly in order to obtain it'.
Origin
• A version of this proverb was known by the 3rd century BC.
Quintus Ennius wrote: 'Amicu certus in re incerta cernitur'. This
translates from the Latin as 'a sure friend is known when in
difficulty'.
Give the devil his due
Give the devil his due
Everyone agrees that the new
math teacher assigns a lot of
homework. But you have to
give the devil his due—all of us
have learned a lot of math!
Give the devil his due
Meaning
• Literally, pay the devil what you owe him. Used
figuratively to mean 'give back what you owe',
either money or favours.
Origin
• From Shakespeare's Henry IV Part 1, 1597:
• Constable: I will cap that proverb with 'There is
flattery in friendship.'
Orleans: And I will take up that with 'Give the
devil his due.'
Good fences make good neighbors
Good fences make good neighbors
“Marcus borrows so many books from me
that I can’t find my own books when I need
them,” moaned Phillip. “You know,” said his
father, “good fences make good neighbors.
Why don’t you tell Marcus he can borrow
one book at a time? Then you’ll know what
he has, and you won’t feel so angry with
him.”
Good fences make good neighbors
Meaning
• This means that it is better for people to mind their
own business and to respect the privacy of others.
Origin
• The proverb 'Good fences make good neighbours' is
listed by Oxford Dictionary of Quotations as a mid 17th
century proverb. Robert Frost gave the proverb a boost
in the American consciousness with his 1914 poem
Mending Walls:
• ...
He will not go behind his father's saying,
And he likes having thought of it so well
He says again, 'Good fences make good neighbors.'
He who hesitates is lost
He who hesitates is lost
Erika looked sadly at the falling
snow outside and then said,
“Grandma was right—she who
hesitates is lost. I kept meaning to
plant flower bulbs under my
window and now the ground will
be frozen all winter.”
He who hesitates is lost
Meaning
• A person who spends too much time
deliberating about what to do loses the
chance to act altogether.
Origin
• The proverb goes back to 'Cato' (1713) by
English essayist and poet Joseph Addison.
He who laughs last laughs best
He who laughs last laughs best
“My neighbors think that I’m
silly for practicing my climbing
on the garden wall,” Kyle said,
“But the day I reach the
summit of Mount Everest, I’ll
have the last laugh.”
He who laughs last laughs best
Meaning
• Literal meaning.
Origin
• This proverb originated in Tudor England but,
for once, wasn't coined by Shakespeare. It is
found in print in the play Christmas Prince,
which was first performed, at Cambridge,
around 1608:
• Laugh on laugh on my freind
Hee laugheth best that laugheth to the end
Hitch your wagon to a star
Hitch your wagon to a star
Robert practiced his jump shots and
free throws every day, “Someday,” he
said to his father, “I’m going to make
the high school team.” “Why, stop
there,” said his father with a laugh,
“Hitch your wagon to a star, shoot for
the NBA!”
Hitch your wagon to a star
Meaning
• Aim high; hope for great things.
Origin
• I admire still more than the saw-mill the skill which, on the seashore, makes the tides drive the wheels and grind corn, and which
thus embraces the assistance of the moon, like a hired band, to
grind, and wind, and pump, and saw, and split stone, and roll iron.
Now that is the wisdom of a man, in every instance of his labor, to
hitch his wagon to a star, and see his chore done by the gods
themselves. That is the way we are strong, by borrowing the might
of the elements. The forces of steam, gravity, galvanism, light,
magnets, wind, fire, serve us day by day, and cost us nothing.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson from American Civilization (1862)
The Atlantic Monthly; April 1862; American Civilization - 1862.04;
Volume IX, No. 54; page 502-511
If wishes were horses, beggars would
ride
If wishes were horses, beggars would
ride
“I wish I had a million
dollars,” said Cal. “Sure,”
said Alicia, “and if wishes
were horses, beggars
would all ride.”
If wishes were horses, beggars would
ride
Meaning
• which is usually used to suggest that it is useless to
wish and that better results will be achieved through
action.
Origin
• is an English language proverb and nursery rhyme,
originating in the 16th century.
• Common modern versions include:
• If wishes were horses Beggars would ride: If turnips
were watches I would wear one by my side.[1] And if ifs
and ans were pots and pans, The tinker would never
work
The leopard doesn’t change his spots
The leopard doesn’t change his spots
“I wish Marcia would be on time
for once,” said Kelly. “A leopard
can’t change its spots,” said John.
“I say that next time we tell her
the meeting starts a half hour
earlier than it does.”
The leopard doesn’t change his spots
Meaning
• The notion that things cannot change their
innate nature.
Origin
• From the Bible, Jeremiah 13:23 (King James
Version):
• "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the
leopard his spots? then may ye also do good,
that are accustomed to do evil."
Little strokes fell great oaks
Little strokes fell great oaks
When the students volunteered for
the housing program they couldn’t
imagine what their work would do.
But little strokes fell great oaks, and
in the spring five new houses were
ready for families to occupy.
Little strokes fell great oaks
Meaning
• A task may seem overwhelming, but if you
break it into manageable smaller tasks and
persevere, you can complete it.
Origin
• Unknown
Money is the root of all evil
Money is the root of all evil
“Mrs. Alvarado, it says here that some
factories dump poisonous waste into rivers.
Don’t they care about the wildlife and the
people who use the water?” Bill’s teacher
explained, “It’s cheaper to dump the waste
than to dispose of it safely. Some factories
care more about their profits than they do
about rivers.” “No wonder people say
money is the root of all evil,” Bill mused.
Money is the root of all evil
Meaning
• Literal meaning.
Origin
• Often misquoted as 'money is the root of all evil'.
Originates in the Bible, Timothy 6:10 (King James
Version):
• For the love of money is the root of all evil: which
while some coveted after, they have erred from
the faith, and pierced themselves through with
many sorrows
Necessity is the mother of invention
Necessity is the mother of invention
“Rosie, you should see Ted’s new bed.
It’s up on a platform,” said Raymond.
“And he even built a desk
underneath!” “What a good idea,”
replied Rosie. “The last time I saw Ted
he was complaining about how small
his room is. I guess necessity is the
mother of invention.”
Necessity is the mother of invention
Meaning
• Difficult situations inspire ingenious solutions.
Origin
• The author of this proverbial saying isn't known. It is
sometimes ascribed to Plato, although no version of it
can be found in his works. It was known in England,
although at that point in Latin rather than English, by
the 16th century. William Horman, the headmaster of
Winchester and Eton, included the Latin form 'Mater
artium necessitas' in Vulgaria, a book aphorisms for
the boys of the schools to learn by heart, which he
published in 1519.
It’s never over till it’s over
It’s never over till it’s over
“I can’t take this movie,” Chase
whispered to Juan. “The forces of
evil are going to win. There’s no way
the hero can survive in a cave full of
poisonous gases.” “Wait and see. I
bet he finds a way out,” said Juan.
“It’s not over till it’s over.”
It’s never over till it’s over
Meaning
• This saying means that you can never be sure
what the outcome of something (a football
game, a book, or even life) will be until the
very end.
Origin
• Unknown
Nose out of joint
Nose out of joint
Ian and Chang Ho were playing
backgammon. “Hold on, you can’t
take all of those pieces,” said
Chung Ho irritably. “Don’t get
your nose out of joint,” Ian said.
“I’m just separating the red
pieces from the black pieces.”
Nose out of joint
Meaning
• Someone’s nose is out of joint (that is, not in
its normal position) if he or she is annoyed.
Origin
• Unknown
Nothing will come of nothing
Nothing will come of nothing
“The band needs a new saxophone
player, but I’ll never be chosen,”
said Lauren. “I think you should
try,” Katelyn replied. “Nothing
comes of nothing. But if you
audition you might get in.”
Nothing will come of nothing
Meaning
• The saying tells us that without effort, you
can’t accomplish anything.
Origin
• Unknown
Once bitten, twice shy
Once bitten, twice shy
“Why didn’t Lee enter the science
fair?” asked Jim. “The volcano she
made last year was great.” “Once
bitten, twice shy,” said Jenna. “She
heard some kids making fun of her
entry last year, so she wouldn’t enter
this year.”
Once bitten, twice shy
Meaning
• If a dog bites you, you will probably be very
careful to stay clear of dogs after that. This
saying means that people tend to protect
themselves from being hurt, especially if
they’ve been hurt before.
Origin
• Unknown
On tenterhooks
On tenterhooks
Elizabeth waited for the cast list to be
posted. As the minutes passed, she
grew more and more anxious. At last
Mrs. Marks came out of the office
and taped it to the door. “Thank
goodness, I got the part!” cried
Elizabeth. “I was on tenterhooks all
morning.”
On tenterhooks
Meaning
• People use this idiom to mean “nervously waiting
for something to happen.”
Origin
• Unknown - Tenterhooks were used as far back as the
fourteenth century in the process of making woollen
cloth. After the cloth had been woven it still
contained oil from the fleece and some dirt. It was
cleaned in a fulling mill and then had to be dried
carefully as wool shrinks. To prevent this shrinkage,
the wet cloth would be placed on a large wooden
frame, a "tenter", and left to dry outside.
Pot calling the kettle black
Pot calling the kettle black
Matt and Gina were eating potato
salad at a family picnic. “You’re
really wolfing it down!” said
Matt. “Listen to the pot calling
the kettle black!” said Gino.
“You’ve eaten twice as much as I
have.”
Pot calling the kettle black
Meaning
• The notion of a criticism a person is making of another
could equally well apply to themself.
Origin
• This phrase originates in Cervantes' Don Quixote, or at
least in Thomas Shelton's 1620 translation - Cervantes
Saavedra's History of Don Quixote:
• "You are like what is said that the frying-pan said to the
kettle, 'Avant, black-browes'."
• The first person who is recorded as using the phrase in
English was William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, in
his Some fruits of solitude, 1693:
• "For a Covetous Man to inveigh against Prodigality... is for
the Pot to call the Kettle black."
Procrastination is the thief of time
Procrastination is the thief of time
“I thought you came up here to study for
your spelling test,” said Maria’s brother,
“and here you are cleaning your room.”
“I can’t study in a dirty room,” Maria
protested. “If you keep cleaning you
won’t have any time left for to study:
procrastination is the thief of time, you
know.”
Procrastination is the thief of time
Meaning
• Procrastination means putting things off. If
you put off doing something, then you may
not have enough time left to do it once you
finally get started. Thus, procrastination
“steals” you time.
Origin
• Unknown
The proof of the pudding is in the
eating
The proof of the pudding is in the
eating
“Zack told me the new space
adventure movie is great,” said
Lydia. “Well, I usually don’t like
the same movies he does,” Seth
answered. “But the proof of the
pudding is in the eating. Let’s go
see it tonight.”
The proof of the pudding is in the
eating
Meaning
• To fully test something you need to experience it
yourself.
Origin
• 'The proof of the pudding is in the eating' is a
very old proverb. The Oxford Dictionary of
Quotations dates it back to the early 14th
century, albeit without offering any supporting
evidence for that assertion. The phrase is widely
attributed to Cervantes in The History of Don
Quixote.
RIP
RIP
As she walked through the
colonial cemetery, Nora
saw many stones ornately
carved with the letters
R.I.P.
RIP
Meaning
• This abbreviation for “Rest in Peace” is
commonly used on gravestones.
Origin
• Unknown
The road to hell is paved with good
intentions
The road to hell is paved with good
intentions
The road to hell is paved with good
intentions
Meaning
• The expression means that good intentions by
themselves are futile - it's good actions that
count. Or, to put it another way, it's nowhere
near enough just to mean well. Lots of people
have ended up in deep doo-doo, despite
having the best of intentions
Origin
• Unknown
Rome wasn’t built in a day
Rome wasn’t built in a day
Anna looked up from the rows of
seeds she was planting. “Oh, the
garden will never be finished!”
“Cheer up,” her uncle said. “After all,
Rome wasn’t built in a day. By August
you’ll have the best beans, tomatoes,
and squash you’ve ever tasted!”
Rome wasn’t built in a day
Meaning
• Do you remember the story of ancient Rome?
It took many people many decades to build
that imperial city. People use this expression
to mean that it takes a long time to achieve
great things. They often use it to counsel
patience.
Origin
• Unknown
Rule of thumb
Rule of thumb
“I’m going to get some potato
chips. Want some?” Dorothy
asked her brother. “Nope, my rule
of thumb while I’m training for
the race is “Don’t eat anything
you enjoy too much,” said
Andrew.
Rule of thumb
Meaning
• A means of estimation made according to a
rough and ready practical rule, not based on
science or exact measurement.
Origin
• The 'rule of thumb' has been said to derive
from the belief that English law allowed a man
to beat his wife with a stick so long as it is was
no thicker than his thumb.
A stitch in time save nine
A stitch in time save nine
Marie’s father was reading the yellow
pages. “What are you looking for,
Dad?” she asked. “I’m looking for a
chimney sweep. We need to get the
chimney cleaned before too much
soot builds up inside. A chimney fire
can ruin a chimney or worse. A stitch
in time saves nine, I always say.”
A stitch in time save nine
Meaning
• A timely effort will prevent more work later.
Origin
• The stitch in time is simply the sewing up of a
small hole in a piece of material and so saving
the need for more stitching at a later date,
when the hole has become larger, Clearly, the
first users of this expression were referring to
saving nine stitches.
Strike while the iron is hot
Strike while the iron is hot
“Maggie sure is in a good mood
today,” thought Luke. “I think I
will strike while the iron is hot
and ask her if I can borrow her
chess set.”
Strike while the iron is hot
Meaning
• Act decisively and take your opportunities when they
arise.
Origin
• This old proverb clearly alludes to the imagery of the
blacksmith or farrier at his forge. If he delays in shaping
the iron when it is hot a pliable the metal soon cools
and hardens and the opportunity is lost.
• The expression is recorded in Richard Edwards', The
excellent comedie of two the moste faithfullest
freendes, Damon and Pithias, circa 1566
• I haue plied the Haruest, and stroke when the Yron was
hotte.
Tempest in a teapot
Tempest in a teapot
“Being Rapunzel for Halloween was my
idea. Mandy stole my idea, and I’m
never going to speak to her again,”
Janice shouted. “Don’t make a
tempest in a teapot,” said Janice’s
sister. “A costume isn’t worth losing
your best friend over.”
Tempest in a teapot
Meaning
• A small or unimportant event that is over-reacted to, as
if it were of considerably more consequence.
Origin
• Readers from England might well be tut-tutting about
the mangling of their perfectly good phrase 'a storm in
a teacup' and castigating the American 'tempest in a
teapot' as a newcomer, having little more reason to
exist than its neat alliteration.
• In fact, the teacup wasn't the first location of the said
storm, nor was the teapot. The phrase probably derives
from the writing of Cicero, in De Legibus, circa 52BC.
Tenderfoot
Tenderfoot
After Pete and Joe had pitched their
tent, Pete began to hoist the food
bag into a tree. “What are you doing
that for?” asked Joe. “So the
raccoons and bears don’t get your
breakfast, tenderfoot,” replied Pete,
laughing.
Tenderfoot
Meaning
• A tenderfoot is a person who doesn’t have
very much experience at something.
Origin
• Unknown
There’s more than one way to skin a
cat
There’s more than one way to skin a
cat
“What am I going to do?” said Kristen with
a sigh. “I need to learn these verbs for
the Spanish test tomorrow, but I’ve been
reading the list over and over and I still
can’t remember them.” “There’s more
that one way to skin a cat,” replied her
sister. “Let’s make up sentences for each
verb. Maybe that will help.”
There’s more than one way to skin a
cat
Meaning
• There is more than one way of achieving an aim.
Origin
• The earliest printed citation of this proverbial
saying that I can find is in a short story by the
American humorist Seba Smith - The Money
Diggers, 1840:
• "There are more ways than one to skin a cat," so
are there more ways than one of digging for
money.
Touché!
Touché!
Meaning
• In fencing, touché (French: touched) is used as an
acknowledgement of a hit, called out by the fencer who is
hit.
Origin
• The phrase touché is often used in popular culture and
general conversation—for example, in an argument or
debate. If one person presents an argument and another
delivers a clever or apt response, the first person may
respond with "touché" as a way of acknowledging a good
response.
Truth is stranger than fiction
Truth is stranger than fiction
When I read that the same couple
had been married three times,
once in an airplane, once in a
hot-air balloon, and once in an
elevator, I decided that truth
really is stranger than fiction!
Truth is stranger than fiction
Meaning
• Literal meaning.
Origin
• This proverbial saying is attributed to, and almost
certainly coined by, Lord Byron, in the satirical poem Don
Juan, 1823:
• ' Tis strange - but true; for truth is always strange;
Stranger than fiction; if it could be told,
How much would novels gain by the exchange!
How differently the world would men behold!
How oft would vice and virtue places change!
The new world would be nothing to the old,
If some Columbus of the moral seas
Would show mankind their souls' antipodes.