Top 10 Weird Histories Behind English Words10 Take a Rain CheckThis idiom dates back to the late nineteenth century. 8 Saved by the BellUnlike the previous idioms, there are a couple of different stories concerning how this term came into play. The popular etymology for saved by the bell is that it traces back to the 18th century. 5 God Bless YouLike saved by the bell, the popular phrase bless you has a few different stories told about its origins. Dead, in this context, is actually being used in the sense of precise or exact, as in the phrase dead shot.

Source: The Nation April 18, 2021 06:56 UTC