Origin of Words, Phrases and Expressions
Wisdom Teeth The third molars, known as “wisdom teeth,” arrive between the average ages of 17 and 25. Researchers believe that the brain does not reach full maturity until the age of 25. Therefore, thesethird molars were named wisdom teeth as a sign of transitioning into adulthood. Nike Nike is the Greek goddess of victory. The company wants to help the world’s greatest athletes achieve victory as well.
Their logo is called a ‘”swoosh” and it embodies the spirit of the goddess who “inspired the most courageous and chivalrous warriors at the dawn of civilization.” (from Nike Consumer Affairs packet, 1996) Cut the Cheese It is uncertain when exactly in history this expression became widely known and used; however, long ago, cheese hada thick layer of wax on its exterior. That was the way cheese was packed. And it was usually purchased in large amounts, so even though it began to age, leading to it become smelly, no one knew because of the layer of wax. Once someone cut through the wax layer to get to the cheese, it released a stinky odor similar to that of flatulence.
So, when someone smelled something foul, they would often exclaim, “Who cut the cheese?” Spill the Beans This phrase is believed to be based upon a voting system used in ancient Greece. The story tellsthat white beans indicated positive votes and black beans negative. Votes had to be unanimous, so if the collector ‘spilled the beans’ before the vote was complete and a black bean was seen, the vote was halted because the outcome was revealed. Sandwich On anight in 1762, an English nobleman, John Montagu (the Fourth Earl of Sandwich) was too busy gambling to stop for a meal. The legend isthat he ordered a waiter to bring him roast-beef between two slices of bread,thus allowing the Earl to continue his gambling and eathis snack without getting his fingers greasy.
From that incident, we inherited the quick and easy food we now call a sandwich. O.K. We use OK every day. When your teacher asks for your homework, “OK”. When your swim coaches gives you a set, “Ok”.
When your parents force you to wake up in the mornings, “OK.” The word ‘ok’ is deemed by some to be the most commonly used word in the English language. In 1839, Charles Gordon Greene, editor of the Boston Morning Post, createdan abbreviation (o.k.), which he indicated meant “all correct” if one didn’t know how to spell “all correct.” Goose Bumps Either because of cold air, or nervousness, everyonegets goose bumps,the tiny lumps that form on your skin because of muscle contraction.
There is no specific date or time period in which this term was created to describe humans; however, the reason behind it is logical. When geese are plucked, their skinlooks like the bumps we get when we have “goose bumps.” Lego In 1934, a Danish carpenter named Ol Kirk Kristiansen, the founder of Lego, asked his staff for a proper name for his company. The last two contenders were “Legio” and “Lego”. Legio referred to “Legion,” as in “Legion of toys” and Lego came from the phrase “Leg godt” which is Danish for “play well.
” Lego also means “to gather and collect” in Latin. Obviously, this clever name was a perfect match for this growing company. Honeymoon It’s that nice vacation newlyweds takewith each other. The term “honeymoon” comes from honey month. It was an old tradition for newly-wedded couples to drink mead, which is made from honey, for one month after their wedding.
Therefore, since married couples go on this trip or vacation soon after their wedding, it is called a honeymoon.
