First appearing in the early 1800s, fit to be tied alludes to the practice of tying up uncontrollable mental patients. This practice of tying up mental patients with rope or cloth gave way to the straitjacket, which was invented in France around 1790.
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What does the phrase fit to be tied mean?
Furious, enraged
Furious, enraged, as in I’ve been waiting for two hours and am fit to be tied. This expression implies anger so extreme that it requires physical restraint. [ Late 1800s]
Who says I was fit to be tied?
This expression originated in the late nineteenth century. James Joyce used it in Ulysses (1922), “I was fit to be tied,” one of the more understandable expressions of feeling in that difficult book.
What is the origin of the phrase right as rain?
The allusion in this simile is unclear, but it originated in Britain, where rainy weather is a normal fact of life, and indeed W.L. Phelps wrote, “The expression ‘right as rain’ must have been invented by an Englishman.” It was first recorded in 1894.
Where does the saying a month of Sundays come from?
This expression, which would literally mean thirty weeks, has been used hyperbolically since it was first recorded in 1832. One writer suggests it originally connoted a long dreary time, since games and other kinds of amusement used to be forbidden on Sunday.
What is the word for fit to be eaten?
Eatable definition
Fit to be eaten; edible. adjective. 3. 1. Fit to be eaten; edible.
Who let the cat out of the bag meaning?
To disclose a secret: “The mayor’s visit was to be kept strictly confidential, but someone must have let the cat out of the bag, because the airport was swarming with reporters.”
What is the meaning of walking on air?
feeling very happy
Definition of walking on air
: feeling very happy After he won the election, he was walking on air.
Where does neat as a pin come from?
neat as a pin Trim, orderly. This term dates from the late eighteenth century and appeared in print in several works by John Wolcot (who used the pseudonym Peter Pindar), as “neat as a new pin.”
What does sick as a dog mean?
very sick
Definition of sick as a dog
informal. : very sick.
What does the expression Six Ways to Sunday mean?
Thoroughly, completely, in every way imaginable
six ways to Sunday (not comparable) (idiomatic, colloquial) Thoroughly, completely, in every way imaginable.
What does it mean when they say watch your six?
to pay attention to what’s behind you
To “watch your six” means to pay attention to what’s behind you. However, many people also use the term as a general warning to pay attention to your entire surroundings. While the phrase has military origins, it is in regular use in the civilian population.
What does the saying guts for garters mean?
punish
If you say you will have someone’s guts for garters, you mean that you will punish them severely: If that boy has taken my bike again, I’ll have his guts for garters! Punishing & punishments.
What does it mean to have an AXE to grind?
A selfish aim or motive, as in The article criticized the new software, but the author had an ax to grind, as its manufacturer had fired his son. This frequently used idiom comes from a story by Charles Miner, published in 1811, about a boy who was flattered into turning the grindstone for a man sharpening his ax.
What do you call a person who pretends to be what he is not?
Definitions of imposter. a person who makes deceitful pretenses. synonyms: fake, faker, fraud, humbug, impostor, pretender, pseud, pseudo, role player, sham, shammer. types: name dropper. someone who pretends that famous people are his/her friends.
What is a person who loves his country called?
The word patriot signifies a person who loves his or her country and is ready to boldly support and defend it.
What word means murder of a king?
Regicide
Regicide is the purposeful killing of a monarch or sovereign of a polity and is often associated with the usurpation of power. A regicide can also be the person responsible for the killing. The word comes from the Latin roots of regis and cida (cidium), meaning “of monarch” and “killer” respectively.
What does sitting on pins and needles mean?
: in a nervous or jumpy state of anticipation.
What does dont beat around the bush mean?
to avoid giving a definite answer or position. Please stop beating around the bush and tell me the full story.
What does a drop in the bucket mean?
A very small quantity
A very small quantity, especially one that is too small. For example, These contributions are just a drop in the bucket; the new church wing will cost thousands more.
What does on the tip of one’s tongue?
Ready to utter something but unable to remember it at the moment, as in I met him last year and his name is on the tip of my tongue—it’ll come to me in a minute. [