By Ariana Dale<\/p>\n
I\u2019m not going to <\/span>beat around the bush<\/span><\/a>; idioms are <\/span>the bee\u2019s knees<\/span><\/a>. So are puns, but I don\u2019t want to <\/span>bite off more than I can chew<\/span><\/a> with this blog.<\/span><\/p>\n Growing up, my family had a vocabulary that was <\/span>off the charts<\/span><\/a>. Their word usage used to fly <\/span>way over my head<\/span><\/a>, and I\u2019d sit there thinking I\u2019d only be as smart as them <\/span>when pigs fly<\/span><\/a>! As I got older and started to understand <\/span>the ways of the world<\/span><\/a>, I found that my understanding of their crazy antics came more frequently than just <\/span>once in a blue moon<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n The coolest part about idioms is that they rely on an individual\u2019s historical knowledge, and they tell a story with only a few words.<\/span><\/p>\n For example, the idiom \u201c<\/span>Elvis has left the building<\/span><\/a>\u201d is only understandable if you know how popular the singer Elvis, \u201cthe King of Pop,\u201d actually was. Additionally, the story goes that this phrase was used to let the crowd know that the Elvis had actually left and that no more encores would be played. <\/span><\/p>\n Another cool idiom is \u201conce in a blue moon.\u201d This one essentially indicates that something happens very rarely, as a blue moon only appears once every three years or so. <\/span><\/p>\n Okay, here\u2019s one more I bet you didn\u2019t know: You are \u201cthe bee\u2019s knees!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n This is generally used to say someone is absolutely superb, and its historical origin is quite extensive and a bit confusing; see <\/span>here<\/span><\/a>. According to Phrase Finder, the term \u201cbee\u2019s knees\u201d initially was thrown casually about<\/span>\u2014<\/span>just one of many \u201cfashionable nonsense terms\u201d used during the roaring \u201920s that somehow stuck. (Other such terms include the \u201ccat\u2019s whiskers\u201d and \u201cthe snake\u2019s hips.\u201d) It could also be in reference to a famous ballet dancer in New York in the 1920s, Bee Jackson. <\/span>God knows<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Now, I hope this hasn\u2019t just gone <\/span>in one ear and out the other<\/span><\/a>. Idioms are pretty cool, and if you want to know more, here\u2019s a link to <\/span>50 of the most useful idioms<\/span><\/a>! <\/span>The ball\u2019s in your court<\/span><\/a> now!<\/span><\/p>\n