Old sayings and where they come from
Noticed quite a few of these popping up lately on social media and find them quite interesting.
EG Stinking Rich
Apparently in the 18tb century, rich people were terrified of being buried alive so had tombs built above ground. As their bodies rotted, the smell would drift out the tombs.
Daylight Robbery
In the 1600’s, window tax was introduced by William III which caused outrage in England and Wales leading to the saying.
Piss poor
During the 19th century, poor people would sell their urine as it was used to tan leather. Families who did this were known as piss poor. Some families were so poor that they “didn’t have a pot to piss in”.
Hungovet
In Victorian England, the lowest form of accommodation was access to a rope you could hang over after a night of drinking, hence hungover.
Given the cold shoulder
in the 1800’s, if someone was no longer welcome at a dinner party, the host would often serve that person cold meat from pork or beef shoulder.