Ten Essential English Sayings

Earlier this week I was working on my computer when, for some unknown reason, I began thinking of all the sayings we have in the English language. You know me, mind like a butterfly, fluttering from one thing to the next! So I decided that I would like to share my top ten English sayings with you. As you can imagine English (like most languages) has many, many sayings, and these are only a tiny sample, but they are my favourites and I hope you will enjoy.       

1.    Not my cup of tea – This phrase can be used to describe a person or an object that you are not particularly drawn to or like very much. You may say something like “I met our new neighbour yesterday, I don’t know, but not really my cup of tea”. Alternatively it could be used to describe a song, some artwork, a building, an actor or actress, anything really that does not appeal to you.

2.    Clear as mud – For some reason this expression always makes me smile. It means that something is absolutely not clear at all! For example if you have attended a lecture and afterwards you still have no idea on the subject you may say that now it is as clear as mud!

3.     Dull as ditchwater – is a very old saying, dating back to the 1700’s. It is used to describe a person or object that is extremely boring. You could use it to describe a film that you have found tedious to watch, an acquaintance or an item of clothing. This saying is still used frequently, although a more modern take on it is “as dull as dishwater”, which it is believed came into use in the 1900’s.

4.    All singing, all dancing – If you have a piece of machinery, like a car or computer, which is all singing, all dancing, then you have the top of the range model with many impressive features. You may be surprised to learn that the origin of this saying is from the posters used to publicise the 1929 film “Broadway Melody”. This film, the first musical, was described as “all talking, all singing, all dancing”.      

5.    Chickens come home to roost – When chickens come home to roost it is payback time for the bad deeds someone has done in the past. This saying has been around in some form for about 700 years and suggests a similar idea to karma, that bad actions will come back to cause trouble for, or haunt a person.

6.    Economical with the truth – if someone is being economical with the truth, they are not usually actually telling lies, but more likely withholding some information to tell a story that supports their version of events. It is often used to describe politicians when talking about the economy (or anything else for that matter!).  

7.    Heard it through the grapevine – If you have heard something through the grapevine then you have heard it in an informal way, often gossip or rumour. The idea is that as a grapevine grows and spreads out quickly, in the same way gossip is passed from person to person. It should be pointed out that the “grapevine” is not always 100% correct and stories tend to be embellished as they are past from person to person.

8.    Jump on the bandwagon – to jump on the bandwagon is to support a movement or follow a fashion that has recently become popular. However, when using this expression there is often the underlying notion thought that a person has done this because in some way it will be advantageous for them.

9.    Chip off the old block – this describes a person who is very similar in character, looks or ways to one of their parents, usually but not exclusively their father. You could say something like “Look at George organising everyone, he’s just like his Dad, a real chip off the block”.  

10.    A red rag to a bull – if the mention of something is enough to enrage a person it is often said that it is like a red rag to a bull. For example you could say “Don’t mention the cuts in education to John; it’s like a red rag to a bull”. The person knows that even the mention of this will make John upset and angry. In recent times this saying has sometimes been abbreviated to like a red rag......everyone knows what this means.

I hope you have enjoyed looking at my top ten favourite sayings. Please let me know some of yours, or if you have heard a saying and you are not sure of the meaning I will do my best to explain.  

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