Common Phrases: And Where They Come From

Ever wondered where the phrase raining cats and dogs came from? In a Teutonic myth, the wind was a huge dog, chief attendant to Odin, the god of wisdom, war, and the cosmos. When it rained hard, Odin's dog was chasing a cat, in the form of rain. So when it poured, Odin dropped "cats and dogs" from the sky. Learn the stories behind such phrases as: A la carte Coast is clear Dog days of summer Flash in the pan In hot water Lame duck Pay through the nose Run amok Apple of my eye Cock-and-bull story Cut and dried Face the music Fly off the handle Kick the bucket Lion's share Pull strings And many more...