1. "Bite the bullet" originated from British surgeons in the 19th century, who would have patients hold a bullet between their teeth to numb the pain before a procedure.
2. "Break a leg" is actually an old theater superstition, as some believe saying "good luck" can jinx performers. Instead, they say "break a leg" for lighthearted humor.
3. "It's raining cats and dogs" originated from the idea that rain fell so heavily it seemed like animals were falling from the sky. The saying comes from a 19th-century poem about a flood.
4. "When it rains, it pours" is a term used when multiple negative events occur in quick succession, like when a city experiences heavy rainfall after a long drought.
5. "Spill the beans" originated from confusion during a game in the 1940s, where someone accidentally shared a secret by spilling the contents of a can labeled "beans" onto the floor.
6. "Pull out all the stops" refers to stopping the organ's normal functions during a church service and playing all the stops to make it more grandiose.
7. "The whole nine yards" comes from the amount of fabric used to make women's dresses in the early 20th century, which measured exactly nine yards.
8. "All ears" is a figure of speech that means someone is completely focused and listening intently. It comes from someone turning their head so their entire ear is visible.
9. "Toss your cookies" means someone is about to vomit, as it comes from the nautical term "heave ho" which was used to describe throwing a sponge filled with vomit overboard to stop the spread of disease.
10. "See the light" comes from the practice of putting candles in the windows of churches to guide people during religious festivals, making it easier to "see the light."
11. "Kick the bucket" is a term for dying, as in the past, farmers would tie a bucket to the necks of animals being slaughtered, causing them to kick the bucket and fall over, killing them.
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