This is a fairly commonly used English proverb which is commonplace in both spoken and written language. Where did the expression originate from and for how long has it been in use?
Meaning
The proverb is used in order to express that someone must face the consequences of their actions. In general, the consequence is negative or unpleasant.
Etymology
It is believed that this expression originated in North America in the 19th century. The first recorded usage dates to the year 1834 in the August edition of The New Hampshire Statesman & State Journal which reads “will the editor of the Courier explain this black affair. We want no equivocation, face the music this time.”
There are various theories regarding the expression and the reason it began to be used. One such suggestion relates to the army and the tradition that disgraced offers were “drummed out” of their regiment. This suggestion relates to the idea that the officer literally had to face the music as a result of their actions.
Example
An example of the expression in use can be found in a quote from Philip Brooks. He is quoted to have said “Christianity helps us face the music even when we don’t like the tune.”
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This English idiom which sounds extremely literary is not used in everyday spoken English but can often be found in pieces of writing. This article will explore the meaning behind the phrase as well as its origins.
Meaning
The expression is used in order to denote a difficult choice. This choice is between two things which are equally dangerous and therefore neither choice is desirable. Another English idiom with a very similar meaning is “between a rock and a hard place.”
Etymology
The expression was first used without the description of the sea as being blue. At the outset it was used simply as “between the Devil and the deep sea,” or sometimes as “between the Devil and the Red Sea.” The first recorded use of this can be dated to the year 1637 in Robert Monro’s His expedition with the worthy Scots regiment called Mac-keyes which reads “I, with my partie, did lie on our poste, as betwixt the devill and the deep sea.”
We have to wait until the year 1931 to find the phrase with the inclusion of the adjective “blue.” This is in the title of a song written by Ted Koehler and Harold Arlen which takes the phrase “between the devil and the deep blue sea” as the title.
There is no consensus regarding the reasons behind this phrase being used. The most simple suggestion is that the devil has always been seen as an evil being and the deep sea is a dangerous entity and therefore being caught between these two things would not be an ideal situation.
Example
An example of the expression in use can be found in a quote from Private W. Hay made during the Great War. He stated “you were between the devil and the deep blue sea. If you go forward, you’ll likely be shot, if you go back you’ll be court-martialled and shot, so what the hell do you do? What can you do? You just go forward because that`s the only bloke you can take your knife in, that`s the bloke you are facing.”
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The English expression “on the warpath” is commonly used in a metaphorical context and does not, as it may initially appear, relate to a literal war. If you want to find out when to use this expression correctly then keep reading!
Meaning
The expression is used to denote that a person is determined to cause conflict. It suggests that someone is extremely angry and is going to make this feeling known by the other party.
Etymology
The expression “warpath” was initially written as two separate words as “war path” but it is now much more common to see it written as a single word.
The expression was first used during the American Civil War but at this time it was used in a more literal sense. One of the first recordings can be found in the 1775 word The History of the American Indians by James Adair. The phrase reads “I often have rode that war path alone.”
The first figurative usage of the expression dates to the year 1880 when Mark Twain wrote “she was on the war path all the evening,” in his work A Tramp Abroad.
Example
An example of this expression in use can be found in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn which reads “clear the road there! I’m on the warpath, and the price of coffins is going to go up when I start killing people!”
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This is a very commonly used English expression whose origins date back hundreds of years. If you would like to find out when to use it and exactly where it came from then keep reading!
Meaning
The expression is used in order to denote the act of managing to take part in a conversation. It refers to a conversation in which there is one or more dominant speakers and therefore one in which it is extremely difficult to get the chance to speak.
Etymology
The expression was coined in the 19th century in the United Kingdom and remains, to this day, an expression used primarily in the United Kingdom.
In the year 1683 we find a similar expression used by David Abercromby in his work Art of Converse. It reads “without giving them so much time as to edge in a word.”
The first recorded use of the exact expression dates to the year 1820 in a play called A night at Dover. The example reads “Sir F. (Aside.)Curse me, if I can get a word in edgeways!”
Example
An example of the expression in use can be found in an article in a sports article in the British newspaper The Telegraph. The title of the article is “Euro 2016 punditwatch: England vs Slovakia – Slaven Bilić steals show as Glenn Hoddle adds to England fan misery.” The quote reads “Did we need three ex-England players, with little management or tournament experience, all trying to get a word in edgeways? No.”
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The English idiom, "at the eleventh hour" is often used in conversation. It can seem rather confusing if you do not have prior knowledge of what it me...
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