14 Common Sayings That Have a Bizarre Origin

7. Caught Red Handed

Meaning:�To be caught in the act of committing something wrong, with the evidence there for all to see.

Origin:� If someone butchered an animal that didn’t belong to him, he had to be caught with the animal’s blood on his hands to be convicted.�The term originates from Scotland with the use of ‘red-handed’, simply ‘red hand’, in the Scottish�Acts of Parliament of James I, 1432.

8. Show Your True Colours

Meaning: To reveal who you really are, your true nature

Origin: During the time of war, ships used multiple flags to confuse their enemies. However, in the rules of warfare, a ship had to hoist its true flag before firing, thus, showing the country’s true colours.

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Clare Whitfield Chief Editor

Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney, she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work.

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