ESL Blogs

Hahaha ... I know, I know. When will this ends? LOL. I think my answer would be "Only God knows",  though I really hope you like this series.

In this blog, I am going to dedicate myself on writing the origin of certain expressions and idioms because I really like to read and know the origins of these idioms and expressions.

Did You Know? Series :-

1. Did You Know?

2. Did You Know - Continuation

3. Did You Know - Another Continuation

4. Did You Know - Not Another Continuation!

Did You Know?

1. Red tape

The expression "red tape" means rigid or mechanical adherence to bureaucratic rules and regulations especially those involving unnecessary paperwork. The origin of red tape stemmed from the usage of red tapes for binding legal and official documents in the 17th century, though some sources cited that 16th century, King Henry VII had besieged Pope Clement VII with various petitions for annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon as the origin of the expression of "red tape".

2. The writing on the wall

When people said it's "the writing on the wall", it means that the result is inevitable. The origin of the expression can be traced back to the Babylonian period. In the Babylonian legend, the evil King Belshazzar had looted a Temple in Jerusalem and drank from a sacred vessel. After that a mysterious hand appeared and to the astonishment of the King, wrote four strange words on the banquet room wall. Only the Prophet Daniel could interpret the mysterious message and told the King that the words spelled disaster. Soon after that, the King was defeated and slain.

3. The whole nine yards

The expression "the whole nine yards" means that a job had been completed without cutting any corners. The origin of this idiom are varied. 

The first origin of this idiom had been attributed to WW2 fighter planes. The exact length of a belt of 50-caliber ammunition for the Corsair fighter was exactly nine yards. If a target was shot with the entire band(belt), it was said to have been given "the whole nine yards".

Another origin was said to be from a tailor making the best suit which was nine yards of fabric. It is said that the best tailor made a proper suit indeed used nine yards of fabrics because a good suits has all the fabric cut in the same direction with the warp, parallel with the vertical line of the suit. This causes a great amount if waste in the suit making, but if anyone wants to go to "the whole nine yards", you have to pay for such waste.

Okay, that's all for now. Tell me if you know any origin of popular idioms or phrases.