- Achilles' Heel - in Greek mythology, the hero Achilles was dipped into the River Styx (say for the heel he was held by) to make him invulnerable in battle. The heel became his one weak spot, and his ultimate downfall.
- Apple of his/her eye - before modern understanding of the anatomy of the eye it was believed the pupil was a solid sphere, which was called the apple. It is a symbol of something cherished, because the pupil is crucial to seeing and must be protected.
- As the Crow Flies - Crows are not actually known for flying great distances nor doing in a particularly straight fashion, but will go directly to a target of opportunity whereas a human would have to follow a road/beaten path to get there.
- Bats in the Belfry - A church belfry is usually in a tower, putting it in a lofty position, much like the human head. Refers to someone who acts crazy, in a manner akin to having bats flying around in one's head. (Derivative = batty)
- Beat Around the Bush - Bird hunters would often use beaters to scare their prey out of bushes to shoot. Doing this for too long would often allow someone else time to take the prize.
- Bet Your Boots - such a sure bet that cowboys (or miners depending on which origin story you buy,) who could not afford to lose their boots, could safely bet them.
- Bite the Bullet - before the days of anesthesia on the battlefield a surgeon/medic would give patients soft lead bullets to bite in order to distract them from the pain (or at least channel it?) thereby minimizing movement & distraction for the doctor.
- Blue Blood - when the (dark-skinned) Moors ruled Spain, members of the old Castilian aristocracy would brag that their blood lines had not been contaminated. They used the term "sangre azul" meaning that you could see their blue veins through their still fair skin.
dec 10 2011 ∞
oct 4 2014 +