Who Said it First? a Look at Common Phrases

In everyday conversation, we use common phrases to express our ideas as well as to make our point. Some of our most common phrases are related to their origins. Interestingly enough, the original thought behind other phrases vary from the context as it is used in today's speech.

A "Ball Park Figure" began in the early days of baseball. Newspapers were anxious to report the number of fans attending each game. While it was difficult to get an accurate count, it is more important to note that owners did not want to admit low numbers. Therefore, owners gave estimates- give or take a few hundred fans. Today the so-so estimate is called a "ball park figure."

Needing to "Break The Ice," cities that suffered bitter and freezing winters figured out a method to keep their trade going during the cold winter months. The trade market was forced to be put on hold until the icy waters thawed until boatmen began sending out small sturdy ships that would break the ice, allowing large merchant vessels to pass in the waters and get their goods to market. In today's society, the phrase "break the ice" is often used to signal the start of a project or to get the ball rolling.

"By Jove, I think he's got it" comes from early Roman mythology. Jove is the original name of the Roman god, Jupiter. By proclaiming, "By Jove," one is making a comparable statement as "By God."

The name "Don Juan" is frequently used to describe a man who is a womanizer. Actually this is quite accurate as Don Juan Ternoario was a real person. The Spaniard was rumored to have more than 2594 mistresses before he suddenly joined the monastery. The monk's life did not work out for Don Juan, as he was killed by the monks.

Shakespeare is credited with using the term "Green Eyed Monster" in Act III of his play, "Othello." Shakespeare uses the cat's green eyes to symbolize jealousy, calling it the "green eyed monster." The phrase caught on to be synonymous with jealousy. For more interesting sayings by Shakespeare, see:
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