Advertise on podcast: Hold Your Horses: Idioms for Idiots

Extra extra! Read all about it! A new Hold Your Horses episode just dropped! So head on over to your favorite podcast streaming service and get a load of this one! It’s a real doozy. But never fear, the fearless horsemen will deliver another delicious dollop of idiom idiocy as they weave and wander without sail or rudder through a sea of mostly mindless madness and ill fated attempts at glory. And in the drop of a hat the ride will come to a sudden and much needed end. So step on up and step on in and give this one a spin. Don’t forget to try Magic Mind! Get a natural boost of focus and productivity by visiting magicmind.com/JANholdyourhorses and get one month FREE with our code HORSES20, giddy-up!

What does it mean to be free? What does it mean to be Scot? And who is Scott? Is he great or is he not? Does he even matter? Find out in this episode of Hold Your Horses as we discuss the fascinating origin of the idiom ‘scot-free.’ We put a lot of thinking into this one (probably too much), so sit back, take off your thinking cap and let your brain get off scot-free as we navigate the murky waters of this idiom for you.

“Get yer hands out of yer pockets, Jethro, and fetch me another nail,” screamed old Hans as he swung his rusted hammer. Cussin’ under his breath, Jethro reached into the bag and grabbed a handful. “Don’t toss ‘em, hand ‘em to me,” Hans screeched before any fell in the dirt. Quite forcefully, Jethro shoved the nails into Hans’ open palm. “Ow, my hand,” Hans yelled. “Some handyman you are.” Hans muttered as he wrapped his bleeding hand in his handkerchief. Jethro eyed the hammer and reached for it. As Hans tended to his wound, he noticed a shadow settle over him. It was Jethro, hammer in hand and raised high in the air. Hans threw his hands up. “Now Jethro, I didn’t mean it, we can handle this. You’re a fine handyman. Don’t let your anger get the upper hand!” (“Would you like AI to help you with your episode description?” No thanks, I’ll take it from here.)

Warm your toes by a fire and tune in to hear the latest episode from your favorite, intrepid language wranglers. We’re taking an icy dive into the frigid waters of feelings with our idiom “cold feet.” This idiom reminds me of the time I served as a juror. When the verdict had been met and sentencing was about to be read, the defendant didn’t show. Judge said the ankle monitor went dark and the jury was released early. I don’t blame the guy, must’ve gotten cold feet. It’s hard to face the music when you’re thigh-high in a quagmire of your own making. Guess you could say we’ll all face the music one day, let’s hope it’s at least a pretty song. Don’t forget to try Magic Mind! Get a natural boost of focus and productivity by visiting magicmind.com/JANholdyourhorses and get one month FREE with our code HORSES20, giddy-up!

Guys and gals, gentlemen and gentlewomen, get ready for some good ole-fashioned guffawing as we galavant through time and space to discover what’s truly behind the phrase ‘son of a gun.’ “But guys, I already know this one!” Well pipe down there, sonny, and don’t ruin it for everyone else!

Sinewy snaking columns of smoke rise from the desolation. Buildings that once stood tall now bend and sag like old beggars. A green glow permeates the air like a disease. Where there was once joy and laughter, nothing remains but pain and sorrow. But alas, look. The dark outlines of three figures emerge from the horizon like undulating specters of the underworld. You stop eating the sandy scraps you foraged just the night before and put a hand to your brow. Squinting, you see the figures clearly now. Three riders with chiseled jaws and wide-brimmed hats saunter and sway down the gravel road. Hovels of decrepit beings emerge from their lairs and follow from a distance. As the riders come closer, you stare upward towards the green orb in the sky. The lead rider tosses something to you then yanks the brim of his hat downward before moving past. As you catch the object, you feel its slippery surface and stare in disbelief. A delicacy from another time and place. An apple. The smell of the horde in front of you pulls you from your reveries. The mass of onlookers with their sunken eyes and blistered faces stare at the fruit. Something like an electric shock courses through you and causes you to stand. Removing the hood from your head, you brandish a weapon from beneath your garments. The steel gleams in the green sun’s glow. As the mob springs forward, your yellowed teeth bite into the crisp flesh of the fruit. Eyes closed and blade raised, you whisper, “Not today” as your blade begins slicing.

When witnessing this wet and windy weather, what else can one do but whinny like a wee pony in the wind? What a show we have waiting for you all! The three wild horsemen have cooked up a delicious stew of words, wisdom, and whit. Stay a while as we discuss the wily idiom of ‘under the weather’ and witness the mental machinations of three dudes talking in a freezing shed.

For this episode your favorite idiots dived to the depths of the sea in search of some pearly idioms that are sure to make you happy as a clam. Join us as we crack these idioms open and suck down their slippery sayings to decipher their sappy significance. Although this may not be for everyone, remember, the world is your oyster…and that means something.

To all the naysayers, the negative Nancies, and the naughty Nellies, your week just got a little bit brighter because the idiots have DELIVERED! That’s right, not ONE but TWO idioms for this week. The cagey “nip and tuck” and the annoying little “pet peeve” are on the chopping block. Three contestants, one cash prize, and a whole lot to lose. It’s Hold Your Horses: Death Match Edition! (Any streaming producers out there, we’ve got some show ideas…) Not really, it’s the regular gang, plus some new voices and a lotta laughs. With a 40+ minute episode, you’ll want to cozy next to something warm (hopefully not a hibernating bear in its den though) and get some quality headphones (might I suggest Bose?) to listen to the sweet and sometimes salacious crooning of Tommy, Travy, and Danny - GIDDY UP, lil doggies!

We’re not going to table this discussion any longer. It’s time to turn the tables and turn our sights to an idiom that demands attention. Just when you think these three horsemen have had their last ride and their backs are against the wall and the odds are stacked high against them, you hear the old refrain echoing in the dark alleys of idiom-dom— “My how the tables have turned.” We ain’t done yet and we’re tackling this idiom head-on. So join us as we unravel the tale, nay (neigh!), the legend of “turn the tables.” LET’S RIDE!

Deceit, danger, and devilry. Sounds dicey, doesn’t it? Don’t worry, darlings. The dalliance with sayings as dangerous as these should only be handled by the most cunning of minds and the most dedicated of hearts lest we fall prey to the darkness of dogma. ANYWAYS, our idiom, or saying, for this week’s episode is “two-faced.” We know the meaning but where did it come from? If you’re like us and this question plagues your wonderings at night causing you to writhe with dismay instead of snooze with delight, your insomnia is OVER. This may be the scariest and most enlightening episode to date. Don’t forget to rate, review, subscribe and leave us a voicemail!

What a way to kick off the new year, with an all new Hold Your Horses episode! We know that the bumps in the road during this holiday season can knock you off and bring you down, but this episode is guaranteed to whet your whistle! Join the three horsemen as we circle our wagons around this sobering idiom to dissect and discuss its dusty details. This is one wagon ride you won’t want to miss, so climb aboard and hang on tight!