Weird Phrases Explained

Thread where commonly used phrases (we take for granted, but when thought about, make no sense) are explained:

"RAINING CATS AND DOGS"

In olden times, homes had thatched roofs (a roof covering of straw, reeds, palm leaves, or a similar material) in which domestic animals such as cats and dogs would like to hide. In heavy rain, the animals would either be washed out of the thatch, or rapidly abandon it for better shelter, so it would seem to be raining cats and dogs.

Do you have any explanations to interesting but odd phrases that are still used today ? Let's hear 'em !

"CLOSE, BUT NO CIGAR"

From the practice of giving cigars as prizes at carnivals in the US in the 19th century; this phrase would be said to those who failed to win a prize.  Most commonly used in the carnival game of "Strong Man" where a  heavy rubber mallet was swung, hitting a mechanism that sent a metal object up a pole in an attempt to reach a bell. When the bell was hit and rang, a cigar was the prize. Missing the bell would result in the carni-worker exclaiming "Close, but no cigar". For a nickel, the customer could try again.

My favorite commonly used phrases are the ones that have their origins in Scripture.

"The Writing's On The Wall"

According to the postexilic books of Esther and Daniel, those Babylonians were quite the partyers, and we all know (if not firsthand) that strong drink can make a person do stupid things.
Daniel 5:1-31 tells how King Belshazzar, deep in his cups with a crowd of rowdy revelers, decided that drinking out of the sacred vessels they pillaged from the Jerusalem temple sounded like a good idea. When they then toasted the "greatness" of their idol gods, a hand emerged out of thin air and began to write on the wall in front of them. Utterly terrified by the apparition, and by the words, which even his magicians could not decipher, Belshazzar called in the Jewish exile Daniel to see what he could make of it. After chastising Belshazzar for his haughtiness, Daniel translated with ease the writing on the wall: mene mene tekel parsin (Aramaic words for specific denominations of weight or currency, loosely translated "Your Days Are Numbered"), as meaning that God would soon end Belshazzar’s rule and kingdom, that the king himself was judged, and that his kingdom would be divided between the Medes and the Persians. Today, “the writing is on the wall” still sounds the ominous note of a done deal.

Some of those are hilarious.

I think they're pretty interesting (and some are definitely funny). I read a bunch of them a while back, but didn't think of sharing them on FB or here until this morning. There's a ton more that I'd like to add if people enjoy reading them as much as I do.
Also, it'd be cool if others here could add their own that they're familiar with.

Here's one I thought of the other day: We were driving down the road and I saw a place that said "Funeral Care". It was a new business that opened up in an old pet store. Talk about really odd.... But I told my wife "Hey, they got it right, probably the only one in the entire world". And she said "What are you talking about?". And I asked "A home is where people live right?"... "yyyyyeeeaaaahhhh". "So why are they called funeral HOMES if no one lives there when it fact everyone is DEAD there?!?". I said "It's kind of creepy to have a funeral in a pet store but at least they got the name right by calling it funeral care".

MikeInFla wrote:

Here's one I thought of the other day: We were driving down the road and I saw a place that said "Funeral Care". It was a new business that opened up in an old pet store. Talk about really odd.... But I told my wife "Hey, they got it right, probably the only one in the entire world". And she said "What are you talking about?". And I asked "A home is where people live right?"... "yyyyyeeeaaaahhhh". "So why are they called funeral HOMES if no one lives there when it fact everyone is DEAD there?!?". I said "It's kind of creepy to have a funeral in a pet store but at least they got the name right by calling it funeral care".

Aha, I've got that one...

Back in the 1800's, people died at home. The women of the house would bathe, dress and prepare the body for the wake in which the deceased was generally kept either in the bed he/she died in or on a couch in the front or "formal" parlor (which is also why they are sometimes called "funeral parlors"). Often, the coffin would be set up in that room, the decedent placed in it and the service would be held at home.  In the late 19th century, early 20th, more and more people began moving to the cities. There, they had less room than before, generally having lost that formal parlor.  Enterprising morticians, seeing a need, would purchase big, old houses and convert most of the rooms to "parlors" which they would then rent to the families for them to hold their "wakes" or "viewings" as that tradition was now being called.  In addition, often times the mortician lived on site with his/her family.

Good stuff !  ^ 

Dead Ringer:


I don't know how true this is, but it is cool anyway. A Dead Ringer was someone who was presumed dead and buried. A string would be tied to the corpse's finger with a bell at the top of the grave. The grave would be monitored for several days and if the bell rang they were a "dead ringer" which had come back to life and immediately dug up. Also known as Saved By The Bell.

Oh man ! Those are excellent ! I love reading these   - SO interesting to me.

The only one that's really strange and doesn't jive with me is "Butter someone up"... that description sounds strange, could be true, but it sounds strange.  Are they referring to India Indians ?  Cuz they worship statues of gods, not Native Indians - they believed in the invisible Great Spirit.
Very interesting though !