Old English Idioms:
Here are some examples of idioms that originated in Old English, along with their modern equivalents:
Everyday Life:
* "To have a bone to pick with someone": To have a grievance or argument with someone. (Old English: "To have a bane to pick with someone")
* "To be in a pickle": To be in a difficult situation. (Old English: "To be in a puckle")
* "To be at a loose end": To be idle or without something to do. (Old English: "To be at a lose end")
* "To be in a flap": To be in a state of panic or excitement. (Old English: "To be in a flappe")
* "To have a bee in one's bonnet": To be obsessed or preoccupied with something. (Old English: "To have a be in one's bonet")
* "To be in a rut": To be stuck in a monotonous routine. (Old English: "To be in a rote")
* "To be up the creek": To be in a difficult situation with little chance of escape. (Old English: "To be up the crike")
* "To be on the fence": To be undecided or unsure. (Old English: "To be on the fens")
Animal-Related:
* "To go to the dogs": To decline in quality or standards. (Old English: "To go to the dogges")
* "To have a cat in hell's chance": To have no chance of success. (Old English: "To have a cat in hell's chaunce")
* "To let the cat out of the bag": To reveal a secret. (Old English: "To let the cat out of the bage")
* "To have a whale of a time": To have a very enjoyable experience. (Old English: "To have a whal of a time")
Weather-Related:
* "To rain cats and dogs": To rain heavily. (Old English: "To rain cattes and dogges")
* "To be in a storm": To be in a difficult or tumultuous situation. (Old English: "To be in a storm")
* "To be under the weather": To be unwell. (Old English: "To be under the weder")
Other:
* "To kick the bucket": To die. (Old English: "To kick the bocket")
* "To get cold feet": To become hesitant or afraid to do something. (Old English: "To get cold fet")
* "To pull someone's leg": To tease or deceive someone. (Old English: "To pull someone's legge")
* "To go the whole hog": To do something completely or without reservation. (Old English: "To go the whole hogge")
* "To be in the same boat": To be in a similar situation to someone else. (Old English: "To be in the same bote")
* "To have a finger in every pie": To be involved in many different activities. (Old English: "To have a finger in every pye")
These are just a few examples of old English idioms that have survived to the present day. Many other idioms still used today can be traced back to Old English, demonstrating the lasting influence of this language on the English language as we know it.
Note: The Old English spellings are not always precise, but they give an idea of the original form of the idiom.