Quaint meanings of old english sayings uk

1. "Bite the bullet" - This saying originated from the practice of giving soldiers a bullet to bite on during surgery to help them endure the pain. It now means to endure a difficult or painful situation with courage.

2. "Mind your Ps and Qs" - This saying likely originated from the old English taverns where pints (Ps) and quarts (Qs) were served. It now means to be on one's best behavior and to be polite and courteous.

3. "Bob's your uncle" - This saying is used to indicate that something will be successful or easy to achieve. Its origins are uncertain, but it is believed to have originated from a political scandal in the late 19th century involving the appointment of a man named Arthur Balfour as Chief Secretary for Ireland by his uncle, Robert "Bob" Cecil.

4. "Brass monkey weather" - This saying refers to extremely cold weather. It is believed to have originated from the term "brass monkey" which was used to describe a triangular stand used on ships to hold cannonballs. In cold weather, the contraction of the metal would cause the cannonballs to fall off, hence the association with cold weather.

5. "Mad as a hatter" - This saying originated from the use of mercury in hat-making, which caused hat-makers to suffer from mercury poisoning and exhibit erratic behavior. It now means to be crazy or eccentric.

Above is Quaint meanings of old english sayings uk.