Why do we say mum’s the word?

The ‘mum’ in the expression ‘mum’s the word’ is derived from the humming sound a closed mouth makes, indicating an inability or unwillingness to speak. The word ‘mum’ was first used by William Langland in his 1376 work Piers Plowman, and the expression itself became popular in the 16th century.

What does mum’s word mean?

informal. —used to say that some information is being kept secret or should be kept secret We want her birthday party to be a surprise, so mum’s the word.

Is it mums the word or mum’s the word?

“Mum’s the word” means to keep silent or quiet. Mum is a Middle English word meaning ‘silent’, and may be derived from the mummer who acts without speaking. Note the similar English word “mime” (Old English “mīma”, Latin “mimus”) meaning silent actor or imitator.

Is mum a real word?

When to Use Mum

Mum can be a noun or an adjective. As an adjective, mum is a synonym of silent, like in the phrase mum’s the word. … It is also an alternative spelling of mom, where it means mother. Mom is more common in American English, while mum is more common in British English.

When did the word mum come into use?

In terms of recorded usage of related words in English, mama is from 1707, mum is from 1823, mummy in this sense from 1839, mommy 1844, momma 1852, and mom 1867. That’s when each form was first used in writing that survived to be available for research.

What is meaning of No Dice?

No, certainly not; also, impossible. For example, Anthony wanted to borrow my new coat, but Mom said no dice, or We tried to rent the church for the wedding, but it’s no go for the date you picked, or Jim asked Dad to help pay for the repairs, but Dad said no soap.

Where does the saying keep mum come from?

“Keeping mum” may be a reference to the wax used to prepare Egyptian mummies for burial. “Mum” appears to be a word of imitative origins, referencing the “mmmmmm” sound that people make when their mouths are closed and they try to talk, or when someone tries to talk with a hand clamped over his or her mouth.

What does keeping KV mean?

: does anyone know the origin of the phrase “keep cavey” (i.e. keep a lookout for someone)? It’s properly spelt “cave”, which is Latin for “Beware!” It is British public-schoolboy slang (n.b. that in Britain “public schools” are actually expensive private schools).

What does icing on the cake mean?

Definition of icing on the cake

: something extra that makes a good thing even better The concert itself was great, and getting to meet the band afterward was (the) icing on the cake.

What does can’t swing a cat mean?

If you say ‘There’s no room to swing a cat’ or ‘You can’t swing a cat’, you mean that the place you are talking about is very small or crowded. It was described as a large, luxury mobile home, but there was barely room to swing a cat.

What does South of cheese mean?

At the rally point Wade asks Reiben to smell a wounded soldier’s leg to find out if it’s “South of Cheese”, what does that mean? It means its a sign of serious infection, at that point it would need to be surgically debrided along with antibiotics.

What does like a fish out of water mean?

A person away from his or her usual environment or activities. For example, Using a computer for the first time, Carl felt like a fish out of water, or On a hiking trail, Nell was a fish out of water. This expression alludes to the fact that fish cannot survive for long on dry land. [

Can’t cut the mustard meaning?

What does “cut the mustard” mean? … Most often, the phrase is used in negative constructions for when something doesn’t live up to expectations or can’t do the job, e.g., The quarterback couldn’t cut the mustard in the playoffs.

What does it mean cherry on top?

(also the cherry on (top of) the sundae, the cherry on top) something that makes something that is already good even better, or perfect: For his career, the Olympic Games would be the cherry on the cake. He put the cherry on top of the cake by scoring for the third time.

What is jumping the gun?

Start doing something too soon, act too hastily. For example, The local weather bureau jumped the gun on predicting a storm; it didn’t happen for another two days. This expression alludes to starting a race before the starter’s gun has gone off, and supplants the earlier beat the pistol, which dates from about 1900. [

What does toe the line?

Meet a standard, abide by the rules, as in The new director will make us toe the line, I’m sure, or At daycare Brian has to toe the mark, but at home his mother’s quite lenient. This idiom refers to runners in a race placing their toes on the starting line and not moving until the starting signal.

What chew the fat means?

Chat in a friendly, leisurely way, as in Let’s get together for coffee and chew the fat, or John and Dave spend hours just chewing the rag. Before the 1880s in Britain, chew the fat meant “to grumble or complain,” and chew the rag also has been used in this way.

What does hitting the sack mean?

go to bed
hit the sack in American English

slang. to go to bed; go to sleep.

What does picking up the tab mean?

Definition of pick up the tab

US, informal. : to pay a bill (such as for a meal or drinks at a bar) She offered to pick up the tab for the meal.

What is the meaning get one’s feet wet?

Definition of get one’s feet wet

: to begin doing a new job, activity, etc., in usually a slow and simple way in order to become more familiar with it She got her feet wet at her new job by doing some simple filing tasks.

What does egg on your face mean?

Definition of with egg on one’s face

: appearing foolish usually because something one said would happen has not happened The unexpected election result left a lot of journalists with egg on their faces.

What does it cost me an arm and a leg mean?

Definition of cost an arm and a leg

informal. : to be too expensive I want a new car that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.

What does a penny for thoughts mean?

Definition of (a) penny for your thoughts

—used to ask what someone is thinking about “A penny for your thoughts?” “Oh, I’m just thinking about what I want to do over the weekend.“

What does egg on your chin mean?

to be very embarrassed because of something you said or did: He told everyone the deal was happening, and if it falls through now he’ll have egg on his face.

What does Taken at face value mean?

Definition of at face value

1 : for the price that is printed on something We bought the tickets at face value. 2 : as true or genuine without being questioned or doubted After all his lying, nothing he says now should be taken/accepted at face value.