English contains a number of different phrases that incorporate references to human anatomy. For non-native speakers who are attempting to learn English as adults, these phrases are difficult to learn and understand because they sound a little weird. The etymology of a few of these phrases is discussed below.
Make no Bones About It:
While native English speakers may use the expression “make no bones about it” with little trouble, for the non-English adult who is struggling to learn English this weird collection of words often makes little sense. Unfortunately, etymologists often disagree about the origin of this strange saying.
There is one group of etymologists who feel that this phrase has its origins in an ancient gambling game which used dice made from bones. A player who confidently threw the dice—known as bones—quickly without seeking supernatural help in the form of a prayer or incantation were said to” make no bones” about the cast.
On the other hand, there are etymologists who claim that “make no bones about it” is not about gambling at all, but about eating. Its origin lies in soup: when a diner encountered a bone in the soup, the bone would be quietly removed and placed to one side. In taking action without making a complaint, the diner would “make no bones about it.”
Pay through the nose:
This is another expression which seems a little weird to non-native English speakers. It means to pay dearly or excessively. One common explanation of this expression blames it on the Vikings, or rather the Norse. In Britain, the conquering Norse instituted Danelaw. Under Danelaw, people had to pay what some felt were onerous taxes. Failure to pay the taxes or to pay them on time resulted in having the nose slit—hence “paying through the nose.” There are, of course, other explanations of this phrase.
Rule of Thumb:
There are a number of interesting stories about where “rule of thumb” came from. According to one story, English law stated that a man could not beat his wife with a stick that was thicker than his thumb. While it is an interesting idea, legal scholars have not yet been able to find any such English law.
Another interesting, and probably false, origin story deals with beer. Brewers were said to gauge the temperature of fermenting beer by plunging their thumb into the liquid. An interesting, and perhaps unappetizing, idea but again there is no historical data to verify it.
The most logical explanation of “rule of thumb” comes from carpentry. Body parts have been used as a method of measuring distance from antiquity—the foot, the yard (the distance between the fingertip of an outstretched arm and the tip of the nose), the hand (for measuring the height of horses). The length from the base of the thumb to the joint is approximately an inch, so the “rule of thumb” refers to the handy ruler used by the carpenter or woodworker.
Wet Behind the Ears:
“Wet behind the ears” is an Americanism indicating “naïve,” “untrained,” “unsophisticated,” and/or “innocent.” While it is uncertain when this expression first presented itself in the American idiom, it alludes to the indentation behind the ear of a newborn creature: the last place to dry after birth. Thus it implies that the person has just been born and lacks the experience required for a particular task.
Break a Leg:
“Break a leg” is a common American theater expression used to wish someone luck. While the origins of this expression are rather unclear, this has not stopped people from inventing some interesting explanations of its origins.
There are some stories that indicate the expression came from the 1865 assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. After shooting the president, James Wilkes Booth, an occasional actor, jumped to the stage and broke his leg. Somehow wishing an actor the same fate as the assassin is supposed to bring about good luck.
On the other hand, actors who perform well are rewarded with generous applause from the audience. In response, the actor does a deep bow. There are some who feel that “break a leg”—meaning the deep bend of the knee for the bow (more like a curtsy, really) —refers to this.
More realistically, “break a leg” may have its roots in the superstition that wishing someone luck is to invite calamity. If you wish someone calamity, then you will bring them luck. There is some indication that German or Yiddish speaking Jewish actors brought to America the expression “hals und beinbfruch” implying “break your neck and leg” and this was the origin of “break a leg.”