“The cat is out of the bag”: those strange sayings finally explained!

The written word is our stock-in-trade at 80:20, but the meaning of many common phrases is anything but clear. Have you ever wondered why we “pass the buck”, “eat humble pie” or “let the cat out of the bag”?

A big hand, therefore, to Mark Forsythe, compiler of The Etymologicon, a fascinating guide to many of our stranger sayings.  Read some of the highlights in Jasper Copping’s article in the Telegraph, or buy the book from Amazon here (surely, no loo will be complete without a copy after Christmas!).