Turn a blind eye
Admiral Horatio Nelson, who had lost an eye, allegedly held his telescope to his blind one during the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801 so he could ignore an order to withdraw. The phrase is now used for deliberately ignoring something.
Pull out all the stops
On pipe organs, ‘stops’ control the flow of air to the pipes. Pulling them all out makes the organ as loud and full as possible. The phrase now means giving something your absolute best effort.
Let the cat out of the bag
This one is well-documented in market slang from the 1700s. Dishonest sellers sometimes swapped a piglet (worth good money) for a cat hidden in a bag. If someone opened the bag to check, the trick was exposed. The phrase now means revealing a secret.
Fly off the handle
In the past, axes were everyday tools, and a poorly fitted wooden handle could let the metal head fly off without warning.
Barking up the wrong tree
This comes from 19th-century American hunting, where dogs occasionally barked at the base of the wrong tree after their prey had already escaped. The phrase now means pursuing the wrong lead.
Cut to the chase
This comes from early Hollywood silent films. Comedies often built up to a big chase scene at the end, and audiences came to expect it. Editors and producers soon used the phrase cut to the chase to mean skipping straight to the important action.
Go the extra mile
This comes from the Sermon on the Mount, where Roman law could force someone to carry a soldier’s gear for one mile. The teaching suggested going an extra mile voluntarily, which is how the modern meaning of making an extra effort developed.
On the wagon
In the early 1900s, people who pledged not to drink alcohol were said to be going on the water wagon – a reference to the carts that sprinkled water onto dust on city streets. Before long, on the wagon became shorthand for staying sober.
Saved by the bell
This one is genuinely linked to boxing. A boxer in trouble could be rescued by the end-of-round bell, giving the meaning of being saved just in time.
A feather in your cap
This reflects real customs in several cultures where feathers were given as marks of achievement. The modern meaning remains close to that original sense of honour or accomplishment.
Show your true colours
This originates from naval warfare. Ships sometimes flew false flags to mislead enemies but had to raise their real flag – their true colours – before engaging in battle. Today it means revealing your real character or intentions.
