Since I’ve talked about the history of some words (“Did You Know When a Deer Was More Than a Deer?”), I decided to share a few phrases we’ve all heard but whose origination you may not know.

Several years ago, I visited a number of historic inns and taverns in Virginia. At one inn, in Old Town Alexandria, I learned a popular eighteenth-century dance. (Believe it or not, we danced to the music of “Yankee Doodle Dandy.”) While that was fun, a docent at a tavern in Fredericksburg fascinated me when she shared the history of several common phrases. Ones I’d heard all my life but had never considered how and where they started.

As you’ll see, all originated from literal meanings.

Caught with Your Fingers in the Till

Tavern owners kept the business’ money in a “till.” (Today we’d call it a cash register.) If a key wasn’t used to open the bottom till drawer, a bell would sound. If the bell rang, the tavern owner came running and caught the would-be thief with his fingers in the till.

Get Off on the Right Foot

It wasn’t until the 1850s that shoes, specifically made for the right or left foot, became common. Before that, people wore “straight” shoes, shoes that could be worn on either foot. Breaking them in, so they molded to your feet, took time.

When a gentleman stayed the night at an inn, he removed his boots. The innkeeper prevented them from getting mixed up by placing them on a boot rack. The left boot sat upright, while the right one hung upside down above its mate. This allowed the innkeeper to make sure the next morning the gentleman would get off on the right foot.

And my personal favorite . . .

Clean Your Plate Before Eating Dessert

Whether or not this saying originated with pirates, as some believe, it was a common practice during the colonial era. When you finished eating your meal, you used bread to sop up any remaining juices. If you didn’t clean your plate, you couldn’t flip it over and eat dessert.