Old-School American Sayings We Still Toss Around (Even If We Don’t Know Why)

Some American sayings are like hand-me-down jeans—some fit perfectly. For example, it’s easy to understand the phrase often attributed to Elbert Hubbard: “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” On the surface, this is about staying positive. But look closer — it’s about agency. Life will hand you sour, unexpected challenges. The power lies in what you “do” with them. Will you stay bitter, or transform them into something refreshing, something that sustains you and others? This phrase isn’t just about optimism, it’s about resilience and creativity in the face of adversity. However, some common phrases we use make no sense, and yet we keep them anyway. Here are a few popular phrases, where they came from, and how they still sneak into our conversations today.

“Break a leg” is one of those odd sayings that sounds harsh but is actually meant as encouragement, especially in the theater world.

In live theater, wishing someone “good luck” was thought to actually bring “bad luck”. So, actors began using the opposite — “break a leg” — as a way to avoid tempting fate. While it started in the theater, the phrase now extends beyond the stage. Saying “break a leg” has become shorthand for “go out there, give it your all, and may success follow your effort.”

“Don’t take no wooden nickels.”

Back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, wooden nickels were literally made as cheap souvenirs or tokens; however, if you tried to spend one like real money, you’d get laughed out of the general store. I said this jokingly to someone just the other day. (Thus how I came up with the idea for this blog!) After saying it I began to wonder what did that really mean. We use this phrase today to mean “Be careful, don’t get fooled.” It’s the polite version of “Don’t be a sucker.”

“Bite the bullet.”

Before modern anesthesia, soldiers sometimes literally bit down on a bullet during surgery to handle the pain. Yikes. How we use it now: When you finally decide to just do something unpleasant—like going to the DMV or starting your taxes. It’s survival with a side of grit.

“Close but no cigar.”

In the early 20th century, carnivals gave cigars as prizes. If you almost won the game but didn’t quite hit the target, you got a pat on the back and no cigar. It’s used today when you “almost”nailed it. Like missing Wordle by one letter. Or parallel parking perfectly… until you nudge the curb.

“Let the cat out of the bag.”

In medieval markets, farmers sometimes sold piglets in sacks. Unscrupulous sellers would swap a pig with a cheaper cat, and once the bag was opened, They were in for quite the surprise and the scam was revealed.! (They were not amused.) We use it now to refer to accidentally spilling a secret. Example: telling someone their surprise party is at 7:00. Oops, cat’s out.

These sayings remind us that Americans have always loved a good shortcut for storytelling. From wooden nickels to loose-lipped cats, they stick around because they’re funny, dramatic, and way more fun than saying things plainly. And remember: Don’t you “take no wooden nickels.”

Lou