What does going to hell in a handbasket really mean?
to go to one’s doom
To go to hell in a handbasket means to go to one’s doom, to deteriorate quickly, to proceed on a course to disaster. The phrase go to hell in a handbasket is an American phrase which came into general use during the American Civil War, though its popularity has spread into other countries.
Where did going to hell in a handbasket come from?
‘” The origin of the phrase although much debated has been attributed to the gold rush where men were lowered by hand in baskets down mining shafts to set dynamite which could have deadly consequences.
What is the meaning of hand basket?
to hell in a handbasket
: a small portable basket —usually used in the phrase to hell in a handbasket denoting rapid and utter ruination.
Where did the phrase What the hell come from?
The earliest use in print recorded by editors of the Oxford English Dictionary comes from the 1920s. From a story handed down in my family (U.S.), I know the phrase was used in the late 19th century, if not earlier. It might have come from “what IN hell…,” similar to “what on earth….” That’s speculation, though.
What does living high on the hog mean?
Also, live high on the hog. Prosper, live luxuriously, as in When Aunt Ida dies and they inherit her estate, they’ll be eating high off the hog, or Since their loan was approved, they’ve been living high on the hog.
What the hell is slang for?
What the hell is used when someone is surprised, angry, or frustrated. It can also mean he/she doesn’t really care about something. True False. ‘What the hell’ is another way to say “how are you?”.
What is the Old English word for hell?
hel
The modern English word hell is derived from Old English hel, helle (first attested around 725 AD to refer to a nether world of the dead) reaching into the Anglo-Saxon pagan period.
What does until you’re blue in the face mean?
Exhausted from anger, strain, or other great effort. For example, You can argue until you’re blue in the face, but I refuse to go. This expression alludes to the bluish skin color resulting from lack of oxygen, which presumably might result from talking until one was breathless. See also under talk one’s arm off.