1. “Jig Is Up, the”:  Thanks to Wilbur R. Johnson, Redwood City, California, for an alternative origin.

2. “Cock and Bull Story”:  Thanks to Dave Evans, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China for a much better "Cock and Bull" alternative origin - goes well with all the bull around this site!

3. “On cloud 9”:  Thanks to Phil Sawyer for his detailed background for someone who is 'On cloud 9', without a care in the world - sounds like the Joe-kster going on another 'Too Weak' Promo Tour!

4. “In the doghouse”:  Jim Younger sends us a brakeman's explanation for this familiar expression!

5A. “Sleep tight”:  Brian Morrill questions the origin of "Sleep tight" as referring to beds in children's stories - a misleading metaphor - in excellent detail!

5B. “Sleep tight”:  Thanks to Patrick Thrush's alternative, derived from the Settlement Era of the Westward Expansion - also in excellent detail!

6. “Wrong end of the stick”:  Robert Day sends the Roman origin for this phrase, dating from the days of communal toilets... visions of someone deep in conversation not looking at the stick being passed to them - a real bum deal!

7. “Pot calling the kettle black”:  Elli Coates brings to our attention this phrase - used to to criticize someone even though you do it, like being a hypocrite!

8. “Zigged when he should have zagged”:  Sarit Segal sends us his idea of the origin of this phrase: “Origin: 'catch 22' - military airplane accident: they flew in a structure and he crashed because he zigged when he should have zagged.”

9. “A little bird told me”:  "'I am a grade 9 music teacher and one of my students suggested the following: The phrase "a little bird told me" could have come from Pope Gregory's alleged dictation of the chant melodies from a dove that landed on his shoulder." - from Ed Adams (teacher) & Nicholas Patterson, Newfield High School, Selden, New York.

10. “By hook or by crook”:  "Origin: Relating to old forest laws of England, the sole right of common people to enter the forests without permission was for the removal of dead
wood from the ground or dead branches of the trees, in other words, as could be brought down by the use of the reaper's hook or a shepherd's crook." - from Katie Cutie.
Other phrases from Katie: “Achilles' heel”, “In the bag”, “Kangaroo court”, “To feather one's nest”, & “To knock (or beat) the tar out of”.

11. “To know beans”:  "Meaning: Usually used in the negative: one who doesn't know beans is appallingly ignorant or is wholly unacquainted with the subject under discussion.

Origin: Perhaps arose from some dispute over the cowpea, which, despite the name, is more nearly related to the bean than to the pea and which is often called either the black-eyed bean or the black-eyed pea. Perhaps came from Boston, where it would be a mark of the sheerest ignorance not to know that Boston baked beans, to be fit to eat, must be made of that variety of small white bean known as "pea bean." Perhaps arose from the British phrase, "to know how many beans make five" - a silly saying that probably got started several centuries ago by having children learn to count using beans. When a child got far enough advanced to know how many beans made five, he was very intelligent and well informed." - from Katie Cutie.

12. “Full as a tick”:  "Full of food, stuffed, ready to pop." - from Barry Barnes.

13. “Get your dander up”:  "Donder op!" in Dutch means: Get out of here! or Hop it! Of course we only say this after we burst into a sudden rage." - from Idske Mulder.

14. “Happy as a clam”:  "A hand-held clam rake at the end of a pole is used to rake up clams from the mud and sand. They look something like a heavy-duty garden rake. I am an old clam digger from the south shore of Long Island, New York." - from Tom Romalewski.

15A. “Scape goat”:  “This expression is based on a genetic defect that has now been purposely bred into some goats that we now call "fainting goats." The ones today are "collectible" pets for people who enjoy seeing them fall over when they are frightened. The genetic defect is in their fight or flight gene, which causes them to stiffen when they need to run. But shepherds and farmers, who recognized this as a defect, would keep one per herd for this purpose: When a predator like a wolf would threaten the flock, the rest would run off while the defective goat would fall over and get eaten, allowing the others a chance to Escape. Thus the Escape Goat or Scape Goat takes the fall.” - from Di Oakley.

15B. “Scape goat”:  “Scape goat is a Biblical reference from Leviticus 16:8-10 and refers to taking the blame for someone else; the scape goat symbolically bearing the sins of Israel and sent into the wilderness. And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD's lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.” - from Jeff Paynter.

16. “Well you're not missing much”:  "Nothing to look at, nothing to really know, nothing great, kind of worthless." - from Gloria Knee.

17. “The Fifth Beatle”:  "The Fifth Beatle moniker was not given to Brian Epstein by Murray the K, though Epstein is always in the list of deserving honorees (along with Pete Best, George Martin, and even Billy Preston, the only musician ever given individual credit on a Beatles disk). It was Murray who was dubbed the Fifth Beatle by George Harrison on the train ride from New York to the band's first concert in Washington D.C. Murray was the last in line as the group made its way through the train cars, and a cop tried to stop him from following. Harrison turned as said, "It's alright. He's the fifth Beatle." - from Peter Altschuler.

18. “In like Flynn”:  "It's much more likely the origin comes from the 1888 poem by Ernest Lawrence Thayer, "Casey at the Bat." Flynn, as the poem goes, was hugging third when Casey came to bat. It was a sure thing that he would be in - although the poem ends with Casey striking out." - from Eric Ode.

19. “Axe To Grind”:  "Axes were a commonplace weapon for soldiers, many centuries ago, and a man seen to be grinding the blade of his axe, demonstrated in the most visible way possible that he was cruising for some aggro....If a man had an axe to grind, it meant he had a resentment he was intending to manifest quite openly....he was spoiling - and preparing - for a fight, in no uncertain terms!" - from Alex Parker.

20. “Watched Pot Never Boils”:  "While living in England, it was explained to me that tea should always be made with hot, but not boiling, water. One needed to pay close attention to the pot in order to heat it without boiling. This of course makes the meaning closer to "a stitch in time saves nine," a warning to take particular care with something." - from Carla Laureano.

21. “In A Nutshell”:  “The Iliad in a nutshell. Pliny tells us that Cicero asserts that the whole Iliad was written on a piece of parchment which might be put into a nutshell. Lalanne describes, in his Curiosités Bibliographiques, an edition of Rochefoucault’s Maxims, published by Didot in 1829, on pages one inch square, each page containing 26 lines, and each line 44 letters. Charles Toppan, of New York, engraved on a plate one-eighth of an inch square 12,000 letters. The Iliad contains 501,930 letters, and would therefore occupy 42 such plates engraved on both sides. Huet has proved by experiment that a parchment 27 by 21 centimètres would contain the entire Iliad, and such a parchment would go into a common-sized nut; but Mr. Toppan’s engraving would get the whole Iliad into half that size. George P. Marsh says, in his Lectures, he has seen the entire Arabic Koran in a parchment roll four inches wide and half an inch in diameter. (See ILIAD.)  To lie in a nutshell. To be explained in a few words; to be capable of easy solution.” - from From E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898, as requested by Norma Phillips.

22. “Pot Calling The Kettle Black”:  “The pot calling the kettle black: Said of someone accusing another of faults similar to those committed by the accuser. The allusion is to the old household in which the copper kettle would be kept polished, while the iron pot would remain black. The kettle's bright side would reflect the pot. The pot, seeing its reflection, would thus see black, which would appear to be on the side of the kettle. The pot could then accuse the kettle of a fault it did not have.” - Source: Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, 1870, revised by Adrian Room (Millennium Edition). - thanks to Jan Heirtzler.

23. “Bull Terrier vs. Porcupine: Quill He Make It?”:  “Really funny but this is NOT a pitbull. We are dealing with misrepresentation in Breed Specific legislation all the time, and while I totally value the humour of your site (if we can't laugh we may as well be dead) the Bull Terrier owners of the
world would really appreciate it if you could re-label your picture?
"Bull Terrier vs Porcupine: Quill he make it?"
Bull Terrier is the name of this breed.... it is very far removed from the pitbulls. I actually know the person that owns this poor dog (bitch) and am happy to say with the help of a LOT of antibiotics - she made it through OK.” - Source: How Bull Terriers Look Like In New Zealand. - thanks to Heidi Holland.

24. “It’s a long road without a turn”:  “Be kind to others or before too long they will have an opportunity to pay you back for your injustice.” - thanks to Fred Pepper, Hamilton, Ontario.

25. “Don't poke the bear”:  “Don't annoy someone who's already irritated; try not to aggravate someone who's easily angered.”  “Man up” “To accept responsibility; to take ownership; to gather your courage.” - from Pamela Walker, Head Keeper of The Zoo Crew, Matthews, NC, USA

26. “Tilting at windmills”:  “The phrase "Tilting at windmills" or "battling windmills" comes from the book "Don Quixote de la Mancha" and refers to a scene where Don Quixote attacks windmills, mistaking them for giants.” - thanks to Anna Platt, Portland, Oregon.

27. “Saved by the Bell”:  “Regarding the phrases, “Saved by the Bell” , It came into use as a boxing term in the late 19th century, but had earlier origins from the 17th century. The term described being saved by ringing a bell attached to a coffin to help with the very real problem of people being buried alive (due to lack of medical understanding of unconsciousness, comas, seizures and other death-like states therefore people were erroneously pronounced dead). There were several patents in England and the USA for 'safety coffins' with the bells incorporated into the designs registered in the 19th century and up to as late as 1955. There was even a society to help with this problem, Society for the Recovery of Persons Apparently Dead. The term “Dead Ringer” is also associated with this idea.” - thanks to Teresa Kappers-Wright.

28. “Ducks in a Row”:  “I believe your origin for Ducks in a Row to be all out of whack. Contrary to popular belief this phrase has nothing to do with little yellow ducklings following their Mother duck all in a straight line. Landlubbers use the phrase to mean "get your business organized", but sailors know that this expression comes from the boatbuilding trade. Unbeknownst to a lot of people, a "duck" is a great big thing, bigger than your car that is so heavy that it has to be moved with a crane, and has jaws that open to make it a giant vise. The U.S. Navy (when building a new ship) lines up a number of ducks with a laser bean so that they are absolutely straight in a line; then the beginning piece of the new boat (the keel) is clamped in. The ducks hold the keel perfectly straight so the ship will be absolutely square athwart and fore-an-aft when it is being constructed. And so the first thing that is done in shipbuilding is to "get your ducks in a row". We have given the phrase a broader meaning, but its origins are nautical (Ref http://members.fortunecity.com/max233/).” - thanks to Byron Burson, Michigan.

29. “Burn The Candle At Both Ends”:  “The expression “burning the candle at both ends” never made sense to me. How could you burn a candle at both ends? Always had an image of a candle kinda floating, while burning at both ends. Then I was reading an historical novel, set in pre-electricity times and they referred to a person working hard, burning the candle at both ends of the day. Meaning obviously up before dawn and to bed after sunset.” - thanks to Roger Brown, Atascadero, California.

30. “Lord willin' and the Creek don't rise”:  “Possible correction to your Cliches page. The phrase "Lord willin' and the Creek don't rise" doesn't refer to the Cree Indians, but to the Creek Indians. Cree is something of a misnomer for several tribes in the northern US and parts of Canada. Creek, however, is one of the Five Civilized Tribes, which includes Cherokee, Creek, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Seminole.” - thanks to Nelson Butterworth, Tennessee.

31. “All of a sudden”:  “"Sudden" came to us from Old French (OED), and its ultimate source is the Latin subire, meaning to come or go stealthily. It entered English in about 1300 as an adjective (spelled soden, sodeyne, sodein, swdan - the spelling wasn't established until after 1700). Beginning in the 1400s (OED) "sudden" was also used as an adverb, the way we use "suddenly" today. In the 1500s people began using "sudden" as a noun. A "sudden" was an unexpected occurrence. So people spoke of events that happened at, in, of, or upon "the sudden" or "a sudden." The historical progression of this phrase was "of the sudden" ... "of a sudden" ... "all of a sudden."
- "at the sodeyne" (1559) vs. "at a sudden" (1560)
- "in the Sodeyne" (1559) vs. "in a sodaine" (1560)
- "of the suddeyne" (1570) vs. "of a sodaine" (1596)
- "upon the soden" (1558) vs. "vpon a sodayne" (1565)
The use of "sudden" was extended to phrases that required the indefinite article "a," like these: "upon suche a sodeyn" (1572); "upon a very great sudden" (1575); and "with such a sodaine" (1582). "All of a sudden" first appeared in 1681.” - thanks to Thanks to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), grammarphobia.com & Marie Glover.

32. “Swing the lead”:  “To "Swing the lead" is correct as far as being lazy, however the phrase actually comes from the days of horse drawn wagons. The "lazy" horses would slow down just enough for the load to be carried by the adjacent horse. You can tell when a horse "swings lead" by the angle of the pull bar swings back when the lazy horse slows.” - thanks to Matt McNeice, Saskatchewan, Canada.