I still use some of the old sayings from time to time. After all, if you grew up in this region, your parents or grandparents likely used a lot of these.

“Burning the midnight oil” simply means working late into the night. Before the days of electricity, kerosene oil lamps were used to light a room. Hence, you were burning oil at midnight if you were working late.

Then there is one that my late mother-in-law used a lot: “You’re burnin’ daylight.” This meant using electricity during the daytime when there is plenty of natural light coming in through the windows, especially on a bright sunny day.

“Barking up the Wrong Tree” is taking the wrong approach or wasting your efforts on a matter.

This is an old saying that originates in America and refers to hunting dogs in the early days. When pioneers hunted game, such as raccoons or foxes, the critters would escape the dogs by climbing up trees. The dogs would then sit and bark at the base of the tree, waiting for their masters. However, sometimes the dogs would lose the scent and select the wrong tree. Thus they would still bark for their owners, but at the wrong tree.

My wife may tell me from time to time to “put a sock in it,” which means to be quiet and stop talking.

Talking of volume and sound, here we have yet another one of those old sayings from the late 19th century. Gramophones used to have large trumpet-shaped horns which provided the sound. However, there was no way to adjust the volume in those days so the only way to lower the sound was to put a sock in the horn literally.

When I was younger, I may not have liked a “big wig,” which means a very important person or perhaps a boss.

This is one of those old sayings that is literal in origin. In the 18th century, the important figures within the political system would wear the biggest wigs. Many of our forefathers wore white powdered wigs.

To “bite the bullet” is also literal in meaning. It now means to go through the pain and get on with whatever is bothering you. You may have seen this done in an old Western movie when a cowboy was removing an arrow or bullet from someone.

There was no such thing as pain relief or anesthesia in the 19th century. As a result, when soldiers were injured on the battlefield and needed treatment, they were given a bullet to bite down on to prevent them from screaming out loud.

If you have a disagreement with someone you may want to “bury the hatchet.” The meaning of this is to end a conflict and to move on or to make peace. This old saying comes from a Native American Indian tradition. When tribes declared a truce from battle, the chief from each opposing side would take a hatchet and bury it during a ceremony.

If you are “caught red-handed” it means you were apprehended during the commission of a crime. In 15th century Scotland, being caught red-handed referred to committing a crime that left one with blood on their hands. So that is apparently the origin of the saying, which was no doubt brought across the Atlantic into our region.

If you or an animal is a “dead ringer,” it means someone or an animal is of an exact likeness. In the 19th century, horse-racers would substitute a horse that was faster or slower than the original racing horse to con the bookies. That horse looked exactly like the substituted horse and was called a ringer.

“Feeling under the weather” means someone is not feeling well. This is another one of those old sayings that come from the sea. Sailors would rest under the bow of a ship if they became seasick during a voyage. This was the best place as it would protect the sailor from bad weather. Those who were ill were described as “being under the weather.”

If someone is “in the limelight” it means they are the center of attention. The real meaning is from back in the 19th century. Theatres used a limelight, a bright white spotlight, to light up the actors. In the limelight became known as being the center of attention.

And finally to “spill the beans” means to tell a secret or to confess. According to my internet research, this comes from Ancient Greece. During elections, voters would place a bean into a jar designated to the candidate of their choice. Sometimes the jar would be knocked over and the beans would spill out, revealing the result of the voting.

I am sure you have heard a few old sayings through the years and I hope this made you think about them.

Until next time.

(Kyle Lovern is a longtime journalist in the Tug Valley. He is now a retired freelance writer and columnist for the Mountain Citizen.)