Rat-arsed, drunk as a skunk, hair of the dog.
There’s some pretty weird sayings out there when we talk about how we spent our weekends. But have you ever thought “Where the hell did that come from?” No? Well, we’re gonna tell you anyway.
Feel free to pull out these random facts next time there’s an awkward silence with your mates. They’ll love it. You are welcome.
Drunk as a skunk
“Mate, I was drunk as a skunk”
Probably just because it rhymes. And that’s a good enough reason for us.
Hair of the dog
“You look terrible. You need a hair of the dog.”
This peculiar phrase came from a crazily unsuccessful method of treating a rabid dog bite by placing hair from the dog in the wound. Well, that sounds like the worst idea ever, just as drinking the next day often is.
On the wagon
“Only one more for me. I’m supposed to back on the wagon!”
Some people think that this phrase came from when prisoners were allowed one last drink before being carted off (on a wagon). These people are wrong but go easy on them.
The truth is a little more boring than that: it comes from when a ‘water cart’ was used to clean the streets. People who had given up alcohol would apparently say that they’d sooner drink the ‘water on the wagon than take a stronger drink’. Ew. We’d rather have a stronger drink thanks. Perhaps a cocktail?
Blotto
“I got absolutely blottoed mate…”
First rearing its ugly head back in the 1800s, meaning “extremely drunk” and derived from the word blot meaning “to soak up liquid” and “to obliterate or erase”. Well, that makes perfect sense. “Blottoed” hasn’t been used since the ’90s, but we like it – let’s bring it back.
Hangover
According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the term hangover was first used in 1894 meaning “ a survival, a thing left over from before.”
That’s about right, sometimes on a Saturday we feel like a “thing left over” and the day after the night before is most definitely all about survival.
Leg-end
“You mate, are an absolute leg-end…”
Why’s your buddy calling you a leg-end? Surely that’s just a foot? Why would he think of you as a foot – are you cheesy today or something?! Ok, we’re kidding. Leg-end is obviously a LOLsy version of ‘legend’, and legend comes from the Latin for ‘story’. And speaking of legend…
You heard about our Book of Legend? Bag yourself a Revolution Card for just £3 and you’ll get one – it’s filled with £100 worth of insanely great vouchers. Fancy a free drink (OR TEN)? Well my friend, this one’s on us…
