Vocabulary and Culture
Vocabulary & Culture 5 English Idioms with Fascinating Historical Origins We use idioms every day without thinking twice about where they came from. Here are five everyday expressions with surprising histories: "Spill the Beans" (To reveal a secret) Origin: Ancient Greece. Voting for secret societies or council elections was conducted using white and black beans. If someone knocked over the container and revealed the results prematurely, they quite literally "spilled the beans." "Bite the Bullet" (To face a difficult situation with courage) Origin: 19th-century military battlefields. Before modern anesthesia was available, wounded soldiers were given a lead bullet to bite down on to cope with the pain during rapid field surgery. "Pass with Flying Colors" (To succeed brilliantly) Origin: Nautical warfare. When warships returned home victorious, they would sail into port displaying all their colorful flags ("colors") hoisted high...