If you pay a bit of attention, you will definitely hear people using all sorts of old sayings in everyday conversation.
More often than not, we know what’s being said when these familiar phrases and terminology are used, but it’s sort of rare for us to know where they came from.
Here’s another look at how some of them might have originated.
Get out of hand.
Of course, when this happens, something has gotten out of control.
This phrase dates back to when horses were widely used for transportation. Basically, if a rider or wagon driver lost their grip on the reins, the horses couldn’t be controlled.
Over the years, the figurative version became popular to describe situations, arguments or conflicts that had become uncontrollable.
High-tail it.
Certainly, when someone does this, they’re leaving a place or situation in a big hurry.
The term can be traced back to cattle ranching in the U.S. in the late 1800s and refers to the way cattle raise their tails when running away.
Stay put.
As we all know, this two-word statement refers to someone or something remaining where it is.
It first appeared in a sentence in a September 1843 issue of the New Mirror, a weekly journal in New York: “And now we have put her in black and white, where she will stay put.”
It is widely understood wherever English is common as meaning just that: Something or someone being put somewhere and staying where it or they were put.
Stand pat.
This term of course refers to holding firm to an opinion, ideal or stance.
It likely originated from gambling, when players in Black Jack card games decide to stay with the cards in their hand (“stand pat”) or take another card (“hit”).
The term came to the forefront of American politics during the 1896 presidential campaign when Republican candidate William McKinley was said to “stand pat” on the gold standard, meaning he was steadfast in his belief. McKinley’s campaign manager used the phrase to urge Republicans to maintain their policies, and those who advocated for “stand pat” policies were labeled “standpatters” by their opponents.
Right as rain.
If someone says this, they’re referring to something being correct for whatever it depicts or is being used for.
The saying originated in England, where rain falls pretty frequently. The idea is that while the sun might come out for a while, the weather will eventually return to its usual rainy state. In other words, it returns to being “right as rain.”
Shell out.
Obviously, if you do this, you spend money on something, likely reluctantly due to feeling that the amount is in excess of what seems fair or acceptable.
The saying originated in about 1800 and is thought to be a slang phrase comparing the removal of money from a pocket or wallet to removing seeds or nuts from their shells (the phrase was used earlier with regard to the literal removal of objects from shells).
Rip off.
This saying can of course have two meanings, one referring to the act of stealing or swindling (verb version), and the other to something being perceived as unfairly priced or overly costly (noun version).
The word “rip” has been prison slang for “to steal” since the early 1900s, while the noun version evolved and became popular in the 1960s.
Packin’.
It’s no secret that if someone is “packin’,” they’re carrying a pistol.
The term is a shortened version of the expression, “packing a gun,” which originated in the U.S. West in the 1870s. The abbreviated version became popular in the late 1900s.
Cool beans.
My wife often utters this phrase when she’s expressing her approval of a situation or circumstance.
The term began being used as a slang term for that same purpose in the 1960s by young Americans.
It is thought to be related to other bean-related sayings, like “some beans” (impressive) and “full of beans” (excited).