That adage is very politically incorrect today, but it got me to thinking about other old sayings and their origins. You know the ones your mum or nana may have used but you never knew the meaning of? So, thanks to a little thing called Google, I have the answers to some of those mysterious sayings.

Cat got your tongue?: Used when someone is at a loss for words. History: There are two possible sources for this common short saying. The first refers to the cat-o’-nine-tails – a whip used by the English Navy for flogging. The whip caused so much pain victims were left speechless. The second refers to the practice of cutting out the tongues of liars and blasphemers and feeding them to cats.

Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water: Meaning hang on to valuable things when getting rid of unnecessary things. History: During the 1500s, most people bathed once a year. Even when they did bathe, the entire family used the same tubful of water. The man of the house bathed first, followed by other males, then females, and finally the babies. You can imagine how thick and cloudy the water became by that time, so the infants’ mothers had to take care not to throw them out with the bathwater when they emptied the tub.

Giving the cold shoulder: A rude way of telling someone they aren’t welcome. History: Although giving someone the cold shoulder today is considered rude, it was actually regarded as a polite gesture in medieval England. After a feast, the host would let his guests know it was time to leave by giving them a cold piece of meat from the shoulder of beef, mutton, or pork.

Waking up on the wrong side of the bed: Waking up in a bad mood. History: The left side of the body or anything having to do with the left was often associated considered sinister. To ward off evil, innkeepers made sure the left side of the bed was pushed against a wall, so guests had no other option but to get up on the right side of the bed.