1. Literal mishaps:
* Ancient Roman custom: Some scholars suggest it originates from the ancient Roman custom of wearing sandals, where a misstep could lead to stepping on food during a meal, causing embarrassment.
* Medieval foot-washing: Another theory suggests it comes from the medieval practice of washing feet, where accidentally stepping on someone's foot during the ritual would be a faux pas.
* Horse-riding: A more recent interpretation connects it to the act of accidentally stepping on a horse's foot during a ride, which would cause the horse to buck and potentially throw the rider.
2. Figurative meaning:
* Speaking without thinking: The idiom likely evolved from the idea that saying the wrong thing is like accidentally putting your foot in your mouth, a clumsy and embarrassing act. This connection suggests that the phrase's origin lies in the figurative, rather than literal, meaning.
3. First recorded use:
* The earliest known printed use of the phrase "put his foot in his mouth" is found in 1863 in an American magazine.
* However, the idiom likely existed in spoken language before that, as it is a relatively simple and straightforward metaphor.
Conclusion:
While the exact origin of "put his foot in his mouth" remains uncertain, it likely originated from a combination of literal and figurative meaning, evolving from various real-life situations that could lead to embarrassment.