‘What’s a common UK idiom that you use regularly, but didn’t learn the origins of for a long time?’ – 18 dips into Dictionary Corner

Idioms are a beautiful thing. They add colour to speech and language, and it can be fascinating to discover new ways of saying things, as well as how they came about. Just ask Susie Dent.

Over on r/AskUK, sad-insurance1313 asked –

“What’s a common UK idiom that you use regularly but didn’t learn the origins of for a long time?”

They added –

“Was just reading an article & murmured “Don’t think it’s as cut & dried as that….”

Suddenly realised that I say this a LOT but have never bothered to find out the origins. Turns out, they believe it began way back in the 1600s/1700s from the work of Herbalists.

Once the herbs had been cut & dried, the situation was set. No further changes could be made to the process.

By the 1800s it was used regularly as we know it today. In English newspapers it was used to describe situations that could no longer be changed or of course, in the reverse like I used it a few minutes ago.

Found that pretty interesting tbh & would love to hear your idioms & origins!”

Redditors stepped up.

1.

Put a sock in it comes from dampening the sound on a gramophone by putting a literal sock in the horn!
open-apartment-4937

2.

Berk lol. Common insult where I grew up. Turns out it’s short for Berkeley Hunt, and is rhyming slang. Had a ball letting my mum know lmao.
different-employ-9651

3.

Toeing the line – on naval vessels there was a white line painted in the deck and the sailors had to come to attention lined up with their toes on the painted line.
noddyneddy

4.

Yesterday I learned the origin of “to steal [someone’s] thunder”. There was a thunder sound effect machine that was invented by 18th century dramatist John Dennis for use in an ultimately unsuccessful play he wrote. Later, he attended Macbeth being shown at the same theatre and heard his sound effect being used. They had literally stolen his thunder.
FearlessPressure3

5.

Being on Tenterhooks.

When weaving was a cottage industry the material would be stretched out from a main pole using hooks.
Murka-lurka

6.

Hot off the press – kind of an obvious one but this comes from hot metal printing and is very literal.
dedicatedead

7.

His/her goose is cooked refers to an 18th century farming custom whereby if a farmhand couldn’t finish his work by the time dinner was ready then they would have to go hungry.
Adventurous-week-698

8.

“Pulling out all the stops” is when a pipe organist literally pulls out all the stops to let more air through the pipes for maximum volume and more tones.
Nunchukka99

9.

Not an idiom, but snap for food. “Do you want some snap?”

It comes from “snap tins” that coal miners would use as a lunchbox.
TittyElevator