Here's how we can understand its development:
* Early Meaning: It likely originated as a literal description. Imagine someone is about to say something, and another person speaks those exact words before they can. This would feel like the second person had literally taken the words right out of the first person's mouth.
* Evolution to Figurative Meaning: The phrase then became a metaphor. It's no longer about someone literally speaking before another person. Instead, it signifies that someone has said exactly what the other person was thinking, often with a feeling of agreement or shared sentiment.
* Variations and Uses: We now often use variations like "you read my mind!" or "that's exactly what I was going to say." This shows how the meaning of the phrase has become ingrained in our language, even if we don't use the exact words.
In short, the origin of "take the words right out of your mouth" is likely a combination of literal meaning and figurative development. Its evolution reflects how language adapts to express complex ideas and feelings in a concise and relatable way.