Idioms That Only Americans Understand

I came across this interesting article that was a pleasant diversion from the hubbub of trash talking from one side to the other concerning the senate hearings, the depressing news of the tragedy in California and the normal crap presented by the news media on a daily basis.

Some made me laugh

I hope they are entertaining to you as well

S E E D E D   C O N T E N T

The English language is a mashup of root languages from around the world — even many idioms and proverbs are borrowed from other places. For example, to quit something “cold turkey” (abruptly) came from  Canada , and we learned from the  Brits  that you can’t “have your cake and eat it, too” (have it both ways). But Americans have also created plenty of their own sayings, so jump on the bandwagon and learn more about these popular idioms and expressions that are unique to American English.

Meaning: Remain quiet

Non-Americans might not recognize that this   phrase   alludes to the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. It protects citizens from self-incrimination, which is commonly known as the “right to remain silent.” Americans reference this amendment slangily when they don’t want to answer a question (but obviously did something wrong), as in, “Who ate the last piece of pizza?” “I plead the fifth!” The Fifth Amendment has been around since 1791, but “pleading the fifth” as an expression didn’t emerge until the 1950s.

Meaning: To make superficial changes in an attempt at making something more favorable

Swine cosmetics aren’t the latest trend — this saying is a valuable life lesson. It suggests that you can dress something up, but that doesn’t change what it is. Charles H. Spurgeon’s 1887 collection of proverbs contained an early variation of the   phrase , “A hog in a silk waistcoat is still a hog,” which likely inspired the American version, though the latter wasn’t recorded for another century. The first written account of the “lipstick” wording dates to a 1985 article from   The   Washington Post , which discussed plans of a park renovation that locals felt should be much grander. A radio host commented, “That would be like putting lipstick on a pig.”

Meaning: To gossip or talk idly

This idiom has nothing to do with projectiles and everything to do with small talk. The phrase   emerged   in the mid-20th century, when “breeze” was slang for “a rumor.” One of the earliest recorded examples of the expression dates to 1937 in the   Indiana Weekly Messenger,   which included the   quote , “I’m no cop. I just wanted to shoot the breeze with you.” This might have   evolved   from the earlier saying “shoot the bull,” taken from the   phrase   “bull session,” which described an informal gathering for discussion.

Meaning: Support what is already popular

American showman P.T. Barnum popularized the   term   “bandwagon” in the mid-19th century, but today it references much more than the circus. A bandwagon was originally a large vehicle that carried the musical act during a circus or a parade and was used to draw a crowd of spectators. Today, it is a metaphorical wagon that fans “jump” on   en masse   to support their favorite sports team, politician, or celebrity. A bandwagon can also denote a party, cause, or movement. Whatever the entity is, it gathers more attention because of its mass appeal.

Meaning: The highest (and cheapest) seats

With these nosebleeds, you’ll need to trade in the tissues for binoculars. In America, these seats are the cheapest and highest in a stadium or venue — they’re the farthest from the stage or field. The   expression   comes from the high altitude of the seats, alluding to the idea that an attendee could suffer from a nosebleed up there. It first appeared in the 1950s to describe seats in American football stadiums, and gained traction in the 1980s. The British also have a fun   nickname   for these seats — “the gods” (as in “closest to”).

Meaning: Sitting in the passenger seat

American kids might exclaim, “I call shotgun,” before a road trip — something that could be very puzzling to a foreign bystander. The idea of a shotgun seat   dates   to the Wild West, when an armed man rode beside the driver on a stagecoach (a public transportation coach pulled by horses) to protect passengers from would-be attackers. Hollywood Westerns popularized the phrase “riding shotgun,” and by the 1950s, it was a common slang term used by American kids.

You can check out others by clicking the article link