Where did the phrase on the wagon come from?

During the times of Prohibition in the 19th century, men often climbed onto these wagons and took an oath they would give up alcohol and drink only water. This gave rise to the expression ‘to be on the water cart/wagon’; it was later shortened to ‘on the wagon’.

What does the phrase on the wagon refer to?

Abstaining from drinking alcoholic beverages, as in Don’t offer her wine; she’s on the wagon. This expression is a shortening of on the water wagon, referring to the horse-drawn water car once used to spray dirt roads to keep down the dust. Its present meaning dates from about 1900.

What do you say when someone falls off the wagon?

Tell Someone: Try reaching out to a trusted friend or therapist. Just saying it out loud is major step forward. As they say in AA, “you’re only as sick as your secrets.” Honesty is the most powerful tool you have against addiction; by owning your truth, you can begin to heal.

Where did the term dirt poor originate?

Dirt poor. The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt – hence the saying “dirt poor.” The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on the floor to help keep their footing.

What does gotta get back on the horse mean?

Get back on the horse is an admonition that one must immediately confront a failure and try again. For instance, if one fails to secure a job after a disastrous interview, one must get back on the horse and continue going to job interviews.

Where does the phrase dead ringer come from?

The expression ‘dead ringer’ comes from American horse racing and originated at the end of the 19th century, when a horse that would be raced under a false name and pedigree was called a ringer. The word ‘dead’ in this expression refers not to lifelessness, but to “precise” or “exact.”

Where does chewing the fat come from?

Chewing the fat is speculated to be something that was done at leisure by the North American Indians. Farmers in Britain would chew on pork fat when sitting idle or chatting with other farmers. It is also speculated to be an activity that sailors would do.

What does back on the saddle mean?

doing something that you stopped doing for a period of time.

What does it mean to saddle up?

Definition of saddle up : to get on a horse He saddled up and rode away.

What does it mean to “fall off the wagon”?

The phrase “fall off the wagon” has its roots in the 1800s’ horse-drawn-wagon era. When someone is said to have fallen off the wagon, it means that he or she did something which he or she had pledged not to do.

What is the origin of the phrase falling off the wagon?

The phrase “fall off the wagon” was coined during the temperance movement of the 19th and early 20th centuries. An individual who is experiencing symptoms of alcohol withdrawal may “fall off the wagon.”. Falling off the wagon often refers to drinking after a period of sobriety.

What is the origin of off the wagon?

There are a few theories behind the origin of on the wagon, but the idiom likely comes from the early 20th-century American expression on the water-wagon, which meant one was drinking water instead of alcohol. Whatever its origins, on the wagon apparently predates off the wagon.