16.8.05

Origin of English Idioms

GET OUT THE WRONG SIDE OF THE BED
Meaning to be in a bad mood.
It is considered unlucky to put your left foot on the floor first when getting out of bed. A variation is 'Get out bed the wrong way'. (1890 it came into use)

SLEEP TIGHT
Sleep tight means 'sleep well'
Its a term which comes from how beds were made. Beds used to be made of ropes and would often slack and become loose which made sleeping very unconfortable. So, in order to sleep well you had to make the ropes as tight as possible before falling asleep.

TIE THE KNOT
Meaning to get married.
Since bed frames were sprung with rope. To make yourself a marriage bed you had to 'tie the knot'.

PUT A SOCK IN IT
Now, people use the term, 'Put A Sock In It" as a request to be quiet or silent.
Years ago gramophones didn't have any volume control so to turn the volume down one had to actually put a sock in the trumpet part.

All above from here.

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