Running expression and prehistory

The horse is not lying.

The horse is not lying - The saying is related to the unusual habit of the animal. Jumping any suit loved a good lie on the ground and only then allowed to wear the collar. Since this habit significantly delay the start of plowing or lay the wagon is now an expression means to carry out important work still did not even launch.





Socialite

Lucky in the women's society of men become so called two centuries ago. Then they humorously compared with lions, who lived in the Tower of London: the animals enjoyed great success with the public. Later, the joke was forgotten, and the expression remained.

Let us return to our sheep

This intricate, please do not be distracted from the topic came to us from an anonymous French farce of the XV century on the sly lawyer Pierre Patlene. He deceived draper, taking his goods without paying for it. Angered by the merchant decided to vent their anger at the servant and summoned him to court to answer for the loss of sheep (which, by the way, is really a servant stole). At trial, a lawyer accused draper suddenly found Patlakh deceived him and demanded to repay the debt. As the conversation went on constantly the fundamental question of litigation, the judge was forced several times to remind those present of the stolen rams.

Patlakh lawyer in court. Medieval French engraving.



On the goat will not approach

Often phraseologism just expanding, making a lame goat or a curve. But it does not change the fact: the approach to any person hardly find. In the old days riding a goat it has been customary entertainment at fairs - so jesters and clowns to entertain the landowners and merchants. However, a very important and tough person like numbers not seen: these artists were afraid to drive up, so as not to call the righteous anger and subsequent punishment.

Scapegoat

Custom search for someone to blame for all the failures come up with the ancient Jews. According to one described in the Bible, worship, using goat community from time to time get rid of their sins. It was believed that when the priest laid hands on cattle martyr, all human faults passed on the animal. After the ritual goat cast out into the wilderness.

"Scapegoat." Painting by William Holman Hunt, 1854.



The dog ate

The phrase, cultivating cruelty to animals for the purpose of becoming a professional - is a truncated version of the saying "the dog ate, and tail choked." He who has the culinary differences with the Koreans, the Russian people believed that the dog meat taste good, and eat the whole animal, if not impossible, it is extremely difficult. And those who manage to do something difficult, is considered a master of his craft. Hence the modern meaning phraseologism.

On the Rights of the bird

Written expression of the precarious situation of someone very likely inspired by the views of bird nests. If they are suites under the roof of a country house or low on the tree, it is quite easy to ruin or destroy them.

Written expression of the precarious situation of someone very likely inspired by the views of bird nests.



Money to burn

Turnover has two source. On the one hand, it is associated with the Christmas divination. In the hut or in a henhouse was made to put gold, silver, copper rings and other items. At that from the expansion pecking chickens, determined the richness of the groom. On the other hand, idiom reflects the habits of poultry: burn the grain only when it a lot and they are satisfied.

Zamora worm

The worm in the light snack "crawled" French phraseologism tuer le ver. It is widely used in a figurative sense ("to drink alcohol on an empty stomach"), but it is literally translated as "kill the worms».

The mosquito nose will not undermine

The phrase, which means an accurate and precise operation, originally referred to the carpentry and jewelry. Highly skilled craftsmen are very proud of their smoothly polished and polished creations. They argued that they are not even a tiny roughness of a mosquito that could hurt his nose.

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