English is a very healthy language, and unlike Latin, it is nimble enough to accept new words and phrases each year that keep it vital and full of life. As of September, Merriam-Webster, the dictionary people, have added 690 words and phrases to the dictionary this year. Another sign of the vitality of American English is the colorful words and phrases denoting a particular region or state.
24/7 Tempo has compiled a list of U.S. phrases that make no sense to the rest of the world by gleaning information from sources such as Merriam-Webster, Healthline, Your Dictionary, The Free Dictionary, and media outlets such as Reader’s Digest.
Many of the phrases harken back to a more rural America, such as beating a dead horse (over-talking a topic), living high on the hog (living a luxurious life), or put out to pasture (forced into retirement). (Also See 25 Slang and Phrases Only Southerners Understand.)
Other animal or rural references have to do with one’s mental health (bats in the belfry), passing away (bought the farm), or inability to sit still (ants in your pants). Still others of these allusions reference behavior such as getting one’s goat (getting someone angry) and having a cow (becoming upset). (Also See Things They Say in New England That the Rest of Us Probably Don’t Get.)
Other uniquely American words or phrases are working the graveyard shift (working overnight), Monday morning quarterback (second-guessing a decision), and pardon my French (preparing a listener for profanity).
Food is used in a singularly American way. Something that’s like white on rice is held very closely. Bringing home the bacon is someone whose work is earning enough money for the family to live.
Scroll below to see US phrases that make no Sense to the rest of the world.
Hair of the dog that bit you
- Meaning: The cause of a hangover can be its cure
Beat a dead horse
- Meaning: Talking about a topic already discussed
Get one’s goat
- Meaning: Get someone angry
Count your chickens before they’ve hatched
- Meaning: Don’t depend on something you’re hoping for
Like a chicken with its head cut off
- Meaning: Excited, confused
Chickens come home to roost
- Meaning: Past actions come back to haunt someone
For the birds
Pigeons
- Meaning: Something considered trivial, worthless
High on the hog
- Meaning: Living a luxury lifestyle
Happy as a pig in mud
- Meaning: Being very happy
In a pig’s eye
- Meaning: Saying something cannot happen
Put lipstick on a pig
- Meaning: Make something more attractive than it is
Have a cow
- Meaning: To become angry or upset
Until the cows come home
- Meaning: A very long time
Ants in your pants
- Meaning: Can’t sit still
Elephant in the room
- Meaning: Something obvious that needs to be addressed
Bring home the bacon
- Meaning: Earning money to live
Bought the farm
- Meaning: To get killed
Put out to pasture
- Meaning: Forcing someone to retire because of age
Bats in the belfry
- Meaning: Someone who’s a bit eccentric
Play it by ear
- Meaning: Doing something without a plan
Monday morning quarterback
- Meaning: Criticizing something after it’s over
Wet behind the ears
- Meaning: Someone without much experience
Inmates running the asylum
- Meaning: The wrong people are making decisions for organizations
Break a leg
- Meaning: Theatrical expression to wish performer good luck
Riding shotgun
- Meaning: Riding in front seat of car or truck
Like white on rice
- Meaning: Hold very closely
Paint the town red
- Meaning: Living it up
Working the graveyard shift
- Meaning: Working very late
Pardon my French
- Meaning: Phrase said to excuse user of profanity
Like pulling teeth
- Meaning: Something that is very difficult to do