Unlike Latin, the English language delightfully continues to evolve – effortlessly welcoming new words and expressions annually to remain vibrant. Last year alone, Merriam-Webster has added a whopping 690 terms – a testament to English’s enduring liveliness.
Equally indicative of American English’s vitality are the quirky regional idioms scattered across different states. These distinct colloquialisms serve as badges of various locales’ identites, though their provincial flair tends to baffle outsiders.
24/7 Tempo has compiled a list of U.S. phrases that make no sense to the rest of the world by gleaning information from sources such as Merriam-Webster, Healthline, Your Dictionary, The Free Dictionary, and media outlets such as Reader’s Digest.
Many of the phrases harken back to a more rural America, such as beating a dead horse (over-talking a topic), living high on the hog (living a luxurious life), or put out to pasture (forced into retirement).
Other animal or rural references have to do with one’s mental health (bats in the belfry), passing away (bought the farm), or inability to sit still (ants in your pants). Still others of these allusions reference behavior such as getting one’s goat (getting someone angry) and having a cow (becoming upset). (Also See Things They Say in New England That the Rest of Us Probably Don’t Get.)
Culinary imagery uniquely peppers American English to convey meaning playfully. Describing something as “like white on rice” humorously implies clinging closely or refusing to relinquish hold. Similarly, “bringing home the bacon” employes savory pork belly as a metaphor for earning a sufficient, nourishing income for one’s family. Food references inject idioms with a distinctive down-home charm even when addressing serious themes like making ends meet.
Scroll below to see US phrases that make no Sense to the rest of the world.
Hair of the dog that bit you
Source: GMVozd / Getty Images
Meaning: The cause of a hangover can be its cure
Beat a dead horse
Source: fizkes / iStock via Getty Images
Meaning: Talking about a topic already discussed
Get one’s goat
Source: fizkes / Shutterstock.com
Meaning: Get someone angry
Count your chickens before they’ve hatched
Source: Hodoimg / Shutterstock.com
Meaning: Don’t depend on something you’re hoping for
Like a chicken with its head cut off
Source: Dimas Ardian / Getty Images News via Getty Images
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