Good morning, digital neighbors! How about some more fun with words and the exploration of the origins and meanings from Ben Douglas’ Say What? The Fascinating Origins of 300+ Everyday Expressions. Here are a few older expressions that I remember from my childhood. Have a great Tuesday, my friends!

Beat around the bush To avoid discussing something directly.

Origin: This phrase originated from medieval hunting practices in the 13th century, where paid beaters would literally beat around bushes to flush out game birds. The practice was documented in various medieval hunting manuals. By the 16th century, the phrase had evolved to represent any indirect approach to a subject.

Spill the beans To reveal a secret or disclose confidential information.

Origin: The phrase originates from Ancient Greece’s voting system, which existed around 500 BCE. Citizens voted using different-colored beans—white for positive votes and black for negative votes—collected in sealed jars. If someone knocked over the jar, they would “spill the beans” and prematurely reveal the election results. The modern usage first appeared in American magazines in the early 1900s.

Word of mouth Information passed from person to person by oral communication.

Origin: This phrase dates to the early medieval period when most people were illiterate. Town criers would spread news “by mouth” rather than through written notices, and the phrase appears in Anglo-Saxon chronicles from the 9th century. The term gained renewed importance during the rise of advertising in the early 1900s, when it became recognized as a crucial form of promotion.

Reading Newspaper - Melpo Tsiliaki - Unsplash