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Sayings

Why we say: ‘Peeping Tom’ © Getty Images
Medieval

Why we say: ‘Peeping Tom’

Why do we say ‘run amok’? © Getty Images
18th Century

Why do we say ‘run amok’?

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Why do we say ‘spill the beans’? © Getty Images
Ancient Greece

Why do we say ‘spill the beans’?

Why do we say ‘get the sack’? © iStock
Georgians

Why do we say ‘get the sack’?

Why do we say ‘Gordon Bennett’? (public domain)
World War II

Why do we say ‘Gordon Bennett’?

Why do we say 'Achilles Heel'? © Wikimedia Commons
Ancient Greece

Why do we say ‘Achilles Heel’?

Herring_2-79ca4bd
19th Century

Why we say: ‘red herring’

Horse_0-79ca4bd
19th Century

Why we say: ‘horse of a different colour’

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Why we say: ‘happy as Larry’ (public domain)
19th Century

Why we say: ‘happy as Larry’

Why we say: ‘put a sock in it’ © Getty Images
19th Century

Why we say: ‘put a sock in it’

Why we say: ‘turn a blind eye’ © iStock
Georgians

Why we say: ‘turn a blind eye’

Why we say: ‘it’s all gone pear-shaped’ © Getty Images
World War II

Why we say: ‘it’s all gone pear-shaped’

Who was the Grand Old Duke of York? © Getty Images
Medieval

Who was the Grand Old Duke of York?

Why we say: ‘pleased as punch’
Early Modern

Why we say: ‘pleased as punch’