Sayings and Expressions that begin with the letter "H" from "Had me stumped" to "Hunky Dory"

If you wish to keep as well as possible, the less you think about your health the better.
Oliver Wendell Holmes 1891

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HAD ME STUMPED---Difficult---"This problem really has me stumped"---Alluded to the difficulty a farmer had trying to plow a field that had not been completely cleared of stumps. Seba Smith (1833). Major Jack Downing. "My good old friend, I'm stumped. I jest got a letter from the General....."

HAIR OF THE DOG---Cure---"You need a little hair of the dog."---The ancients believed that one of the best cures for hydrophobia, or any disease contracted from dog bite, consisted of taking a hair of the dog that bit you and placing it in the wound. Today's meaning is to cure a hangover in the morning by having a drink of the same thing you were drinking to get the hangover. Scott (1817). Rob Roy. "He poured out a large bumper of brandy, exhorting me to swallow, a hair of the dog that bit me."

HALF A LOAF IS BETTER THAN NONE---It is better to have part of what you want than none.---"You had better take it, half a loaf is better than none."---John Heywood (1546) "Throw no gift at the giver's head; Better is half a loaf than no bread."

HALF BAKED---Not all there.---"That boy is about half baked."---(1864), Notes & Queries. "He is only half baked; he would take a brush more." Caroline M. Kirkland (1842). Forest Life. "It is sometimes a term of reproach with us, in speaking of a silly fellow, that he is not half baked."

HALF THE BATTLE---Something that contributes toward an objective.---"Getting started is half the battle." Marryat (1849). Valerie. "Youth is half the battle."

HAMMER AND TONG---Busy; agressive.---"He is going at that job hammer and tong."---Alludes to a blacksmith while working a piece of iron. He is very busy and must keep in motion so that the iron does not cool.---(1708) The British Apollo. "I'm now coming at you, with hammer and tongs."

HAND OVER FIST---Taking something in rapidly. (money)---"He's making money hand over fist."---Nautical Sailors went up the rigging or brought in a line quickly. The idea of someone gathering money in quickly, stuffing a fist full of money in their pocket while reaching for more with the other.

HAND OVER HAND---Giving excessively.---"I have been giving that boy money hand over hand."---W. Robertson (1681). Phraseol Generalis. "Give mot your alms hand over hand; do good with discretion."

HAND TO MOUTH---An economically precarious way of life; living from day to day.---"I don't know how they make it, they live from hand to mouth."---Just enough to live, not enough to save, the food goes from hand to mouth. Alexander Barclay (1509). The Shyp of Folys. "Theyr vayne myndes to farther thynges is dull save on that which from hande to mouth is brought."

HANDSOME IS AS HANDSOME DOES---It is what you do that counts, not how you look.---Munday (1680). Sundry Examples. "But as the auncient adage is, goodly is he that goodly dooth."

HANDWRITING IS ON THE WALL---A forewarning, usually something ominous.---"The handwriting is on the wall."---Bible: Daniel 5:5. "In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the kings palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote." Daniel is called upon, by King Belshazzar, to interpret the message. (Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin) "God has numbered the days of his kingdom, and it will be divided between the Medes and the Persians.

HANG IN THERE---Be tenacious, don't give up.---"Hang in there, don't give up now." (1971). The Atlantic. "He (Nixon) has a long history of coming from behind, they say, and it would be in his nature to hang in there and fight."

HANG LOOSE---Have a relaxed attitude.---"Let's just hang loose for a while and see what happens."---(1972) The New Yorker. "In the meantime, my survival plan is to hang loose."

HANG THE FIDDLE AT THE DOOR---One who is happy go lucky out and about, but an ogre when he gets home.---"Jim is a happy man when he is with the boys, but he hangs the fiddle at the door when he gets home."

HANGING FIRE---Pending; the sense that something is hot happening as soon as expected.---It is from the days of muzzle loading guns, when the charge of powder in the breech sometimes did not explode as quickly as the gunner thought it would; the gun was said to hang fire.

HAPPY AS A PIG IN SLOP---Very Happy.---"Take Joe to a ball game and he is happier than a pig in slop." Carr (1828). Craven Dialect. "As happy as a pig in muck."

HAPPY GO LUCKY---Carefree; unconcerned; not given to formality.---"He is just happy go lucky."---Herman Melville (1851). Moby Dick. "A happy-go-lucky; neither craven nor valiant."

HARD AND FAST RULE---Rigid; fixed.---"There is no changing it, it has always been a hard and fast rule around here."---Henry Smyth (1867). The Sailors Word Book. "Said of a ship grounded on shore."

HARD WORK NEVER HURT ANYONE

HARDER THAN CHINESE ARITHMETIC---Very hard.---"That job was harder than Chinese arithmetic."

HASTE MAKES WASTE---Think before you act; plan carefully.---Don't jump into something, things done in haste more often than not, will have to be done over again. Also see: Study long you study wrong.---Heywood (1546). Proverbs. "As good undone as do it too soon."

HAUL OVER THE COALS---To discipline someone.---"He is going to get hauled over the coals."---A form of punishment. Fuller (1639). Holy War. "If they should say the Templars were burned wrongfully, the may be fetched over the coals themselves for charging his Holinesse so deeply."

HAVE ONE IN STITCHES---Excessive laughter.---"That comedian had me in stitches."---The Old English word "stitch" meaning to stick as with a knife. One characteristic stab like pain, caused by acute spasms of rib muscles, occurs after violent exercise. Prolonged laughter may lead to the same symptoms, thus the expression.

new! HAVE THE WILLIES---Something that makes one's stomach feel uneasy; creepy feeling.---"Something about that guy gives me the willies."---Transition from "wiffle woffles" or "collie wobbles". If your stomach is upset you have the "colic" and your stomach seems to wobble.

HAVING A BONE TO PICK---Having a point to argue about; a complaint to settle.---"I have a bone to pick with you."---Suggestive of two dogs and one bone. Old meaning: In British politics, giving one a bone to pick, meant that an annoying opponent or colleague was given a high sounding position to keep him out of the way. Calfhill (1565). Answer to Martiall. "Only therefore will I add this, which may be a bone for you to pick on."

HAVE A FIELD DAY---Have a particularly enjoyable day.---"I'm having a field day."---19th century. An occasion when troupes gathered onto open ground for a grand review.---William Thackeray (1848). The Book of Snobs. "The mean pomp and ostentation which distinguish our banquets on grand field days."

HAVE YOUR HEART IN YOUR MOUTH---Be frightened; very anxious.---"The car just missed here, my heart was in my mouth."---Gaius Petronius (A.D. 66). "My heart was in my mouth."

HAYMAKER---A punch that puts you on the ground or canvas.---"He caught him with a real haymaker." ---When hay or grain is cut it falls to the ground.

HE HASN'T GOT A CHINA MAN'S CHANCE---No chance at all.---During the gold rush in California many Chinese immigrants tried their hand at mining. They were disliked and scorned, partly because they worked for such low pay. The likelihood that they would escape ostracism or be given the opportunity to find much gold was almost nil.

HE IS AFRAID OF HIS OWN SHADOW---A person who seems to be afraid of every little thing.---"Jim won't come, he is afraid of his own shadow."---G. Fenton (1567). Bandello. "He returned with more fear of his shadow than the reporte of that he had in charge."

HE IS MAKING AN ASS OF HIMSELF---To do something stupid.---Fuller (1732). "He makes himself an ass must not take ill if men ride him.

HE LOOKS LIKE DEATH WARMED OVER---Look ill or exhausted.---Nagaio Marsh (1942). Death and the Dancing Footman. "I look like death warmed up and what I feel is nobody's business."

HE MET HIS WATERLOO---He suffered a decisive defeat or setback."I think that Gary has met his waterloo this time."---In June 1815, Napoleon's army was defeated at Waterloo, Belgium, by British troops led by the Duke of Wellington. Napoleon was exiled to the island of St. Helena, where he died in 1821.

HE THAT FIGHTS AND RUNS AWAY MAY LIVE TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY---Get your licks in and get away.---(1440). Gesta Rom. "It is an old sawe, he fightith wele that fleith faste."

HE WHO DOES NOT WORK, NEITHER SHOULD HE EAT---One must earn one's keep.---Chaucer (1386.) Tale of Melibee.

HE WHO HESITATES IS LOST---Swift and resolute action leads to success; self-doubt is a prelude to disaster.---Joseph Addison (1713.) Cato.

HE WHO LAUGHS LAST LAUGHS BEST---Heywood (1546). Proverbs. "Better is the last smile than the first laughter."

HE WHO LIVES BY THE SWORD DIES BY THE SWORD---Those who view war as a solution to a problem will ultimately be destroyed by their own violence.---Anthony Munday (1601.) Death of Robert, Earl of Huntington

HE WHO SERVES GOD FOR MONEY WILL SERVE THE DEVIL IF THE WAGES ARE RIGHT---When you do something for money it begs a conflict of interest.---"The preacher used to tell it like it was, now that the church is growing he is telling people what they want to hear."---L'Estrange (1692). Aesop. "He that serves god for money, will serve the devil for better wages."

HE WOULD COMPLAIN IF YOU HUNG HIM WITH A NEW ROPE.---Some people are never satisfied.---Fuller (1732). "He that always complains is never pitied."

HE WOULD SQUEEZE A NICKEL TILL THE BUFFALO CRIED---Very miserly; cheap.

HEAR A PIN DROP---Very quiet. ---"It was so quiet in the auditorium, you could hear a pin drop."---Leigh Hunt (1816). The Story of Rimini. "A pin drop silence strikes all o'er the place."

HEART AS BIG AS ALL OUTDOORS---referring to an extremely generous or compassionate person. (Often times used in the negative context)---"His heart is big as the whole outdoors."---John Neil (1825). Brother Jonathan. "Big as all out o'doors."

HEART OF GOLD---Generous; kindly.---"That guy has a heart of gold."---Shakespeare King Henry V. "The king's a bawcock, and a heart of gold, a lad of life, and imp of fame;......."

HEART TO HEART---A frank, intimate conversation.---"We are going to have to have a heart to heart."---A. H. Lewis (1902). Wolfville Days. "He don't own no real business to transact; he's out to have a heart to heart interview with the great Southwest."

HEAVENS TO BETSY---That's astonishing.---R.T. Cooke (1892). Huckleberries from New England Hills.. "'Heavens to Betsy!' gasped Josiah."

HELL BENT FOR ELECTION---Moving or acting recklessly; with great speed.---"There goes Sam, he is hell-bent for election."---Dates from 1840, when Edward Kent was running for governor of Maine. He won, and the event was marked by a song: "Oh have you herd how old Maine went? She went hell-bent for Governor Kent."

HELL HATH NO FURRY LIKE A WOMAN SCORNED---This needs no explanation.---William Congreve (1697) "Heav'n has no rage, like love to hatred turn'd, nor Hell a fury, like a woman scorned.

HELL IS PAVED WITH GOOD INTENTIONS (The road to)---It is of no use to intend to do good, you must do it.---John Wesley in his journal, "It is a true saying, Hell is paved with good intentions."

HELL ON WHEELS---Used today as a kind of complimentary expression meaning incredible skill or extremely fast movement.---"He is hell on wheels."---As soon as the transcontinental railroad was completed fortune hunters and pioneers flocked to the west. There were not many outposts or settlements along the route, but this did not stop the unscrupulous operators from the east. They rented railcars to carry mini brothels and casinos west. They parked these railcars anywhere there might be potential customers and were truly, hell on wheels. Has an opposite connotation to it's the original meaning.

HELL TO PAY---A reckoning is coming; the consequences will be severe.---"When his mother finds out there will be hell to pay."---Duke of Ellington (1811). "Unless the design has been altered we shall have the Emperor in Spain and hell to pay before much time elapses."

HEM AND HAW (Hum haw)---To delay giving a response; to be undecided; avoid getting to the point.---"Don't hem haw around about it."---Several origins and changes over the years. Gervase Babington (1580). A Profitable Exposition of the Lord's Prayer. "We gape and we yawne, we hem and we hawke."

new! HEN PECKED---A man who is domineered over by his wife.---"I have become henpecked in my old age."---Florio (1578.)First Fruites. "It is a sad house where the hen crows louder than the cock."

HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE---All over.---"He needs to settle down, he is here, there and everywhere."---Christopher Marlowe (1590). Tragical history of Dr. Faustus. "That I may be here and there and everywhere."

HERE TODAY, GONE TOMORROW---All things are temporary and fleeting; we have no promise of tomorrow.---John Calvin (1549.) Life and Conversion of a Christian Man.

HERE'S MUD IN YOUR EYE---(Drinking toast) To your good health and success.---Mud in the eye would have a blinding effect much as drinking sometimes does.---H.V. Morton (1927). In Search of England. "Here's mud in your eye!' said one of the modern pilgrims, tossing down his martini"

HIDE NOR HAIR---Haven't seen someone.---"We haven't seen hide nor hair of Jim for a week."---Josiah G. Holland (1857). The Bay Path. "I haven't seen hide nor hair of the piece ever since."

HIGH AND DRY---Stranded.---"He left me high and dry."---The connection is with ships tossed ashore or aground. They were left high and dry. Anthony Trollope (1857). Barchester Towers. "That party which is now scandalously called the high and dry church."

HIGH AND MIGHTY---Arrogant; haughty; to proud for one's own good.---"He has gotten high and mighty since he won the lottery."---Richard Whitlock (1654). Zootomia. "Book learned Physitians, against which they bring in their high and mighty word experience."

HIGH HORSE---Act in a superior or arrogant way.---"You can get off your high horse anytime."---Persons of nobility or high rank were often mounted on horses of large stature to emphasize their prominence. James Kelly (1721). "He is upon his high horse, spoken when people fall into a passion."

HIGH JINKS---Frolic; revelry.---"You can cut the high jinks now." (My father loved to use this one.) ---High Jinks was the name given to the activities that accompanied drinking parties in the 17th century. A throw of the dice determined who should do a stunt for the group or chug a lug a goodly quantity of liquor.

HIND SIGHT IS 20/20---A clear view, once a problem has been dealt with, or a situation is over, of what should or could have been done better.---"I can see now how we could have handled that a little better, but hind sight is 20/20.---Perfect vision is 20/20.

HIS BARK IS WORSE THAN HIS BITE---Someone who acts tough but are not as tough as they act.---Fuller (1655). Church History. "Because politically presumed to bark the more that he might bite the less."---Clarke (1639). "He bellows like a bull, but is as weak as a bulrush."

HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF---History follows a pattern of events which repeat themselves.---(1553.) Rufus Historie.

HIT THE SPOT---Satisfy fully.---"That meal really hit the spot."(1863). Putnam's Magazine. "I hope that last corjul set you up?' 'Yes, Mr. Plunkitt, it went right to the spot.'"

HIT BELOW THE BELT---To act unfairly or against the rules.---"Hey, that's hitting below the belt."---In (1865) the rules of boxing were laid down by the Marquess of Queensberry. The rules forbade hitting below the belt.

HIT OR MISS---Random; haphazardly; to do something in awareness that one may succeed of fail.---"This is going to be strictly a hit or miss operation."---Thomas Wilson (1553). The Arte of Rhetorique. "Which shot in the open and plaine fields at all adventures hittie missie."

HIT PAY DIRT---Find something of value; succeed.---"I think I have hit pay dirt."---Term in use in the 19th century, obvious connection with mining for gold and silver. (1884). Century Magazine. "He lives in a style that proves that he has lots of pay dirt somewhere."

HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD---To do something just right.---"You hit the nail on the head."---Not easy to do sometimes.---Camden (1605). Remains. "Every man cannot hit the nail on the head."

HITCH IN ONES GIDDYUP---Lame; injury that effects one's walking.---"You have a little hitch in your giddyup today."---A command given to a horse to speed it up. If one has a hitch in their stride they are not moving smoothly.

HITHER AND YON---Here and there; back and forth.---"He's hither and yon."---15th century. Hither meant here, yon meant yonder. (1836). Tait's Magazine. "She swayed hither and yon, and so coggly that I had fears of a catastrophe on the floor." Coggly: (shaky).

HITTING CLOSE TO HOME---Something someone says that comes awfully close to describing yourself, usually not good.---"What the preacher said hit pretty close to home."

HOCUS POCUS---Magic word used in slight of hand tricks; trickery; deception.---"Give me the straight facts and stop all this hocus pocus."---Borrowed from the Latin phrase used in the service of Holy Communion, a ritual where ordinary bread is transformed. Magicians took the word hocus, meaning "here is the body" and coined for use in slight of hand tricks. The alliteration to "hocus pocus" gave magicians this magical expression which loosely means watch out, you are going to be fooled by this transformation or trick.

HOGWASH---Useless information; false information; I don't believe it.---"He spoke for half an hour and everything he said was hogwash."---Male swine are castrated so that their meat will remain tender and juicy. The castrated males are called hogs. This practice used to be followed by a ceremonial washing, after which the water was thrown out as tainted and worthless.

HOLD A CANDLE TO HIM---One person cannot compare in worth or skill to another.---"He can't hold a candle to his brother."---In the days before street lighting lads called link boys were hired by the well to do. They would walk ahead of their employer with a link (torch) or candle lighting the way. The obvious negative connotation prevailed. John Byrum (1725). "Some say that Seignior Bononcini compar'd to Handel's a mere ninny; others aver, to him that Handel is scarcely fit to hold a candle.

HOLD AT BAY---Keep a difficult or threatening situation from getting worse.---"I think we can win this game if we can just hold them at bay."---From the French abai meaning the baying sounds hounds make when they are pursuing or have cornered a quarry.---John Palsgreve (1530). "Yonder stagge is almost yelden, I here the houndes hold hym at beye."

HOLD THE BAG---To be left in a foolish position; stuck with a responsibility; left in a lurch.---"He got away and I was left holding the bag."---The old meaning may have been a reference to a pig in a poke, where a vendor had a buyers money and the buyer was left holding a bag with something worthless in it.

HOLD THE FORT---Keep things safe while I am away.---"You hold the fort while I am gone."---Originated with General Sherman at the battle of Kennesaw Mountain in 1864 when he signaled another general from the top of the mountain "Hold the Fort".

HOLD YOUR HORSES---Take it easy; stay calm.---"Just hold your horses there son."---In past days this is something you had to do if your horse got excited or nervous in an attempt to calm him down. (1844). New Orleans Picayune. "Oh, hold your horses, Squire. There's no use gettin' riled, no how."

HOLD YOUR OWN---Withstand attack or pressure.---"You are going to have to go in that meeting and hold your own."---(1526). Pilgrimage of Perfection. "Be never overcome in any mater, but holde thyne owne."

HOLE IN THE HEAD---Something undesirable; something you don't want.---"I need that like I need a hole in the head."

HOLLOW LEG---No end to the amount of food or liquor a man can hold.---"I swear I think the guy has a hollow leg."

HOLY COW

HOLY TOLEDO

HONEST TO GOODNESS---Really; the real thing; for sure.---"He was a real honest to goodness cowboy."---B.M. Bower (1916). "The real honest to goodness twelve month in the year West.

HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY---D. Tubvill (1599). Vade Mecum. "He would ever say that honesty is the best policy."

HOODLUM---Scoundrel; wretch.---One of the most notorious ruffians of the San Francisco waterfront (also know as the Barbary Coast ) was known as Muldoon. During a clean up campaign led by a San Francisco newspaper, a reporter had the idea of spelling the name backwards and changed the N to an H instead of referring to him directly. Readers soon figured who the mysterious "Hoodlum" was and talk of his exploits propelled the made up word into general speech.

HOOK OR CROOK---By any means.---"I am going to get it by hook or crook."---English law regulating the kings forests. Peasants were allowed to harvest any dead wood on the ground or any dead branches that could be reached by reaper's hook or shepherd's hook.---John Wyclif (1380). "With hook or with crook".

HOOK LINE AND SINKER---Everything.---"I told him the story and he took it hook, line and sinker."---Fishing term used to explain how gullible a person is, like a fish. John Lyly (1579). Eughues. "You have made both me and Philautus to swallow a Gudgen."

HONEST TO GOODNESS---Really; the real thing; for sure.---"He was a real honest to goodness cowboy."

HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY---D. Tubvill (1599). Vade Mecum. "He would ever say that honesty is the best policy."

HOPE AGAINST HOPE---To hope something against enormous odds.---"I hope against hope that he will survive the operation."---Bible: Romans 4:18. "Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken."

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL---Optimism in the face of adversity.---Alexander Pope (1733). Essay on Man. "Hope springs eternal in the human breast.

HOPPING MAD---Really angered.---"He was hopping mad when he got his bill."---When you are angry you tend to raise your voice, when you become irate you tend to become animated and pace about.

HORSE FEATHERS---Ridiculous; unbelievable.

HORSE OF A DIFFERENT COLOR---Altogether different thought or subject.---"Now that is a horse of a different color."---Barham (1840). Legends. "They are manifest asses; but you, good Leech, you are a horse of another colour."

HORSE PLAY---Rough, boisterous play.---"Settle down and cut the horse play."---I heard this a lot.---To see a horse frisking about a field, wallowing in the dust with all four legs flailing, or one running up to nuzzle another gives on the picture of horse play.

HORSE SENSE---Common sense.---"That is just plain old ordinary horse sense."---A horse has enough sense to avoid a situation which might cause him harm. (1870). Nation. "Born in the west, we believe horse sense, which is applied to the intellectual ability of men who exceed others in practical wisdom."

HOT SHOT---Someone who talks a good game; someone who may or may not be good at something but either way lets everyone know how good or important he is.---"Harry is a real hot shot isn't he?"---Ray (1678). "He's a hot shot in a mustard pot, when both his heels stand right up."

HOTTER THAN A POPCORN FART---Uncomfortably hot.---"Boy, its hotter than a popcorn fart out here."---Don't even ask.

HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM APPLES---A comparison to.---(1930's). The American Dream. Grandma says to Mrs. Barker: "They wanted satisfaction; they wanted their money back." Mrs. Barker responds: "My, my, my." Grandma says: "How do you like them apples."

HOW NOW BROWN COW---What's up; what's next.---"Brown Cow" is an obsolete term for a barrel of beer, and is likely that the saying was originally meant as a suggestion that everybody have another beer in order to prolong a pleasant interlude at the tavern. It perseveres because of its catchy repetition of the "ow" sound. Allan Ramsay, who collected Scottish poems and sayings, said in his play The Gentle Shepherd (1725): "The idea of 'what next' apparently derives from the question of whether or not to have another beer."

HUE AND CRY---An uproar or to-do over something.---"The hue and cry has gone up all over the country since a tax hike was proposed."---In the Middle Ages the hu e cri (a norman-english phrase combining the French huer and cri, which mean respectively to shout and cry out) was a means of summoning help when one was the victim of a crime or a constable pursuing a criminal. Indeed, one who heard the call and failed to join the chase was subject to punishment.

HUNKY DORY---All right; safe.---"Everything here is hunky dory."---John Farmer (1889). Americanisms. "Both these strange words stand for superlatively good."

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