The Inner Monologue

English is a language where “biting bullets” and “flying off handles” pass as normal conversation. We casually drop these phrases without realizing how utterly deranged their origins are. So let’s take a moment to appreciate the absolute chaos that birthed some of our favorite idioms—because honestly, who wouldn’t want to know why we compare insanity to hat makers or cowardice to naval warfare?

1. “By and Large” – Nautical Nonsense

Meaning: Generally speaking.
Origin: Oh, you thought this was just a fancy way to say “mostly”? Nope. It’s sailor slang from the 1600s. “By” meant sailing into the wind, and “large” meant sailing with the wind. So if a ship could handle both, it was top-tier—just like you, pretending to understand this explanation.

2. “Bite the Bullet” – Pre-Anesthesia Vibes

Meaning: Tough it out.
Origin: Before modern medicine, if you needed surgery, your pain relief options were: (A) whiskey, (B) screaming, or (C) clamping down on a bullet so you didn’t bite your tongue off. Thanks, 19th-century battlefield medics, for this metal as hell phrase.

3. “Turn a Blind Eye” – Naval Petty Energy

Meaning: Ignore something on purpose.
Origin: Admiral Horatio Nelson, a legend in both warfare and workplace passive-aggression, literally held a telescope to his blind eye during battle so he could “conveniently” miss his superior’s retreat order. The original “I didn’t see the email.”

4. “Mad as a Hatter” – Mercury Poisoning Chic

Meaning: Completely bonkers.
Origin: Hat makers in the 1800s used mercury to shape felt, which—shockingly—gave them tremors, mood swings, and general insanity. So next time someone calls you “mad as a hatter,” just say, “No, I’m not mercury-poisoned… yet.”

5. “Fly Off the Handle” – DIY Disasters

Meaning: Lose your temper suddenly.
Origin: Ever swung an axe only for the head to detach mid-chop? Congrats, you’ve reenacted the 1800s version of this phrase. Nothing says “anger issues” like a rogue blade spinning toward your neighbor’s cow.

6. “Pissing in the Wind” – A Lesson in Futility

Meaning: Pointless effort.
Origin: Sailors, soldiers, and probably a few drunk philosophers realized that urinating into a headwind was… counterproductive. Thus, the perfect metaphor for arguing on Twitter, applying to grad school, or trying to fold a fitted sheet.

Final Thoughts: Why Is English Like This?

These phrases survived centuries because, apparently, humans love violent, weird, and borderline nonsensical metaphors. So next time you tell someone to “bite the bullet,” remember: you’re invoking battlefield dentistry. And isn’t that just beautiful?

Got a favorite bizarre idiom? Drop it in the comments—if you dare. 😏