Just like clothing fads, certain expressions go out of style. For example, it’s probably been a while (if ever) since you heard someone exclaim, “Now you’re on the trolley!” or threaten a person with a “knuckle sandwich.” But as idioms come and go, other ones appear to fill the void. Brand-new phrases are coined by each generation, leading to an array of fresh figurative speech.
An idiom, of course, is a symbolic phrase that can be hard to understand from the literal definitions of the words. For example, when telling a performer to “break a leg,” you’re not actually hoping they shatter a femur. The phrase is more figurative in nature; its meaning is defined not by the dictionary, but rather by how the wording is used and understood in society. So let’s take a closer look at the origins and meanings of some popular modern idioms.
While tipping over a teapot may result in a messy situation, “spilling the tea” means that someone is dishing out gossip. The “tea” is actually “T,” which is short for “truth” in this context. The phrase developed widespread use in LGBTQ+ culture, specifically among Black drag performers. It gained widespread attention when
transgender club performer The Lady Chablis used the phrase prominently in her interviews with writer John Berendt, the context of which appeared in Berendt’s 1994 nonfiction book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. “Spill the tea” remained primarily LGBTQ+ slang until the popularity of the reality TV show RuPaul’s Drag Race pushed this idiom and other drag-related terminology into the collective lexicon.
In 2021, it was impossible to browse TikTok without hearing the phrase “understood the assignment.” This idiom means that someone pulled things off in an impeccable manner and nailed whatever goal they were aiming for. The tipping point for this phrase seems to be August 16, 2021, when musician Tay Money posted a teaser of a new song, “The Assignment,” to her TikTok, and the viral reach spread the idiom far beyond the song’s initial fan base. The idiom can apply to big things, such as a celebrity matching an elaborate outfit to an important event, but it can also apply to everyday people showing up in their lives in meaningful ways. A dad who learns how to braid his daughter’s hair because it’s important to her? He understood the assignment.
Sadly, rent is never free, unless we’re talking about this figurative phrase. To “live rent-free in someone’s head” means to occupy space in their brain, often in a detrimental manner. For example, if you find yourself always thinking about how annoying someone else is, that person is living rent-free in your head. The “rent-free” aspect implies a lack of control, and you’ll often find that this constant worrying has no positive impact on your life. It seems like an ultramodern phrase, but it’s attributed to a somewhat old-school source: advice columnist Eppie Lederer, who wrote under the alias Ann Landers. In a 1999 column for the Chicago Tribune, Landers wrote, “Hanging onto resentment is letting someone you despise live rent-free in your head.”
To “shoot your shot” means to try to seize an opportunity, even if the odds of success are slim. It often requires stepping out of your comfort zone. Someone might shoot their shot when asking someone on a date, or blindly emailing their resume to a company in hopes of landing a job offer. Even though this idiom’s origins are unclear, it’s likely derived from the world of sports, specifically the idea of shooting basketballs at the net. It also could be related to the famous quote by hockey legend Wayne Gretzky: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
The phrase “keep it 100,” could be taken as a literal command. Should you turn the thermostat up to 100 degrees? Or strive for a perfect 100 on a test? This idiom is a way of saying, “be true to yourself,” and is explained by Dictionary.com as being akin to “keeping it real.” To “keep it 100” means to be 100% authentic and to embrace transparency over deception. The idiom’s modern popularity is tied to rap music, as many popular lyricists, including Lil Wayne and Jadakiss, have incorporated the phrase into their songs.
More from our network
Word Smarts is part of Optimism, which publishes content that uplifts, informs, and inspires.
