Ep 268 Where Do Common Sayings Actually Come From?

Send us Fan MailEver said "bite the bullet" or "the whole nine yards" and wondered where those phrases actually came from? In this episode, the guys dig into the origins of common phrases and sayings, separating the real history from the folk-etymology myths almost everyone repeats.This is part history lesson, part comedy chaos. The crew works through dozens of everyday idioms, busts the popular "obvious" explanations that turn out to be wrong, and then fast-forwards to the modern slang taking over in 2026. If you love language, trivia, and unfiltered conversation, this one's for you. (Heads up: explicit language throughout.)Along the way you'll find out why "saved by the bell" has nothing to do with being buried alive, how "caught red handed" traces back to 15th-century Scottish law, and the surprising claim that "the whole nine yards" may have been born right here in Southern Indiana. The second half shifts gears into Gen Z and Gen Alpha slang, breaking down terms like "delulu," "cooked," "beige flag," and a few that are far less printable. If you've got a weird phrase or saying you want the guys to dig into, drop it in the comments. Hit subscribe so you don't miss the next episode, and share this one with the friend who uses these phrases wrong every single day.TIMELINE:00:00 — Cold open and intro (Brian, Thomas, Cory)00:30 — OMG Con Owensboro recap and comedy panel talk03:00 — Super El Niño weather discussion04:45 — New York Knicks championship reaction06:30 — Charles Barkley and the Cardi B broadcast story08:30 — Topic begins: where do common phrases come from?09:00 — "Saved by the bell" and "dead ringer"10:48 — "Graveyard shift"11:30 — "Caught red handed"12:03 — "Bite the bullet" and cat o' nine tails14:37 — "Kick the bucket"15:12 — "Mad as a hatter" and mercury poisoning17:19 — Kentucky Derby hat tangent18:30 — "Read the riot act"19:30 — "The whole nine yards" and its Indiana origin21:18 — "Rule of thumb"21:45 — "Spill the beans"22:30 — "Break a leg"23:50 — "Cold shoulder"28:32 — "The real McCoy"30:30 — "Tickled pink"31:38 — "Letting the cat out of the bag"31:59 — "Raining cats and dogs"35:35 — "Close but no cigar"36:33 — "Bury the hatchet"37:30 — "Show your true colors" and color vs colour40:00 — "Three sheets to the wind" and "baker's dozen"42:49 — Modern slang begins: delulu, cooked, BFFR44:30 — "Cranking my hog" deep dive46:00 — Urban Dictionary terms: side quest, sleepy juice, more47:47 — Gen Alpha, body doubling, "shookie"••51:00 — Wrap-up and sign-off[The Days Grimm Podcast Links]- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheDaysGrimm- Our link tree: linktr.ee/Thedaysgrimm- GoFundMe account for The Days Grimm: https://gofund.me/02527e7c [The Days Grimm is brought to you by]Sadness & ADHD (non-medicated)