Meaning: Quickly lock the door before something unwanted gets in (or out).
Example: When the tax man comes to call it's Katy bar the door.
Origin: From a book of poems called "King's Tragedy" by D. G. Rossetti published in 1881. It tells of an attempt by one Catherine to save the life of Scotland's James I by throwing her arm across a doorway to bar his enemies
The phrase was further popularized in a 1980s Miller Lite Beer commercial featuring ex-baseball player Bob Eucker.
Meaning: Something that is a precursor to failure, that will lead to future failure.
Example: Even a hint by Greenspan that interest rates may rise is like a kiss of death to the stock market.
Origin: From the fabled Mafia practice. A kiss from the Don meant curtains for the receiver.
No doubt popularized in this country by Mafia movies, but the practice goes back much, much further, at least to Roman days. And let's not forget Judas kissing Jesus's cheek to identify him to the guards.
Example: Just keep your shirt on, dinner is almost ready.
Origin: Before modern manufacturing techniques, shirts, and all clothes for that matter, required a lot of labor to make. They were more expensive than they are today. Someone thinking of starting a fight might take off his shirt to prevent damage. Telling someone to "keep his shirt on" was equivalent to telling him "I don't want to fight".
This phrase has been twisted into the equivalent "keep your pants on".
Example: I will be off the telephone in a minute, so keep your pants on.
Origin: Appears to suggest that one should calm down because romance is not imminent. This phrase is actually a derivation of "keep your shirt on". It is an interesting example of how phrases can adapt to obscure the origin.
Example: I am sure that your tax returns will not be audited, knock on wood.
Origin: One theory is that it originated in the middle ages when there were in circulation, pieces of the Holy Rood or Cross on which Jesus was crucified. To touch one of these was supposed to bring good luck hence touch wood for good luck. There were also several Holy Foreskins around at the time ..but that was a different story!
Alternatively, The Druids, who worshipped trees, especially Oaks, wore a piece of Oak around their neck to ward off evil spirits. Hence touch wood for good luck.
Alternatively, You knock on wood because of those wily Wood Sprites. In medieval times, people believed in mischievous creatures known as sprites. Sprites are actually spirits or ghosts who were reputed to enjoy causing trouble and wreaking havoc in the lives of the living. Among the most mischievous were wood sprites.
If you were to mention something good, the wood sprites would try to foul it up. The thought was that if you knocked on the wood when you said these things, the wood sprites would not be able to hear you because of the knocking sound. Hence they would leave you alone.
