This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human. Hear that? That's what it sounds like when you plant more trees than you harvest. Work done by thousands of working forest professionals like Adam, a district forest manager who works to protect our forests from fires.
Keeping the forest fire-resistant synonymous with keeping the forest healthy, and we do that through planting more than we harvest and mitigate those risks through active management. It's a long-term commitment. Visit WorkingForestsInitiative.com to learn more. 10 athletes will face the toughest job interview in fitness that will push past physical and mental breaking points. You are the fittest of the fit.
Only one of you. Will leave here with an IFIT contract for $250,000. This is when mindset comes in.
Someone will be eliminated. Pressure is coming down. This. It's Trainer Games. Watch it on Prime Video starting January 8th.
Then the space hamster flew his hot air balloon all the way to the bottom of the ocean. Where did that story come from? Book? Dream? Nope.
It came from a conversation. Meet Miko Mini Plus, the AI companion that co-creates personalized story adventures with your child in real time. What color was the hamster's cape? And what did he pack for lunch? Unlock your child's imagination.
Discover Miko Mini Plus and the magic of AI exclusively at Costco. Come for the Black Friday seasonal savings. Stay for the award-winning reporting. For a limited time, access to the Washington Post is just 99 cents. That's unlimited access to all of the posts for only 99 cents every four weeks.
That's a great deal for the first year. After that, it'll cost $12 every four weeks. You can cancel any time. But don't wait, this Black Friday seasonal offer won't be here for long. Go to Washington Post.com/slash iHeart and grab this deal before it's gone.
That's Washington Post.com slash iHeart. Uh Protect your pet with insurance from PetsFest. Plans start from less than a dollar a day. Visit PetsBest.com. Pet Insurance products offered and administered by Pets Best Insurance Services LLC are underwritten by American Pet Insurance Company or Independence American Insurance Company.
For terms and conditions, visit www.petsbest.com backslash policy. Products are underwritten by American Pet Insurance Company, Independence American Insurance Company, or MS Transverse Insurance Company, and administered by Pets Best Insurance Services LLC. $1 a day premium based on 2024 average new policyholder data for accident and illness plans, pets aged 0 to 10. This is Lee Habib with Our American Stories, and we tell stories about everything here on this show, including your stories. Send them to Our American Stories, they're some of our favorites.
Up next, We continue with our recurring series about the curious origins of everyday sayings. To join us again is Andrew Thompson as he continues to share another slice from his ultimate guide to understanding these many mysteries. of the language we all speak. In the lap of the gods means a situation whose outcome is unclear and can't be influenced.
Some say the expression began with the practice of leaving gifts of thanks with statues of gods. And whilst this has occurred for century, the phrase actually derives from the Iliad, Homer's text from the 8th century BC. In the story Achilles battles the Trojans and kills Hector's brother Polydorus. Hector sees this and challenges Achilles, brandishing a spear in his face. Hector says to Achilles, I know you are brave, and stronger than me by far, But these things lie in the lap of the gods.
Though I'm the weaker man, I'll take your life. Achilles survives, and the Trojans are defeated. A last-ditch attempt is a final effort to solve a problem or avoid defeat. And it's a military term that dates to the late 17th century. King William III of England is credited with the expression during the Anglo-French War with the Dutch Republic.
William was offered to be made sovereign prince of Holland if he would capitulate. but he refused. and an envoy of the Dutch king threatened that William would witness the end of his fate. William replied. There is one way to avoid this, to die defending it in the last ditch.
The phrase was then picked up by the citizens of Westmoreland in the American War of Independence. when in 1798 they said, in war we know but one additional obligation. to die in the last ditch or uphold our nation. By the early 1800s the figure was being used figuratively. If someone's a laughing stock, they're an object of ridicule or humiliation.
and that originated from the medieval form of punishment in England. Most villages had stocks set up in the public square, and the stocks comprised two sliding boards with holes in them that were secured on a wooden frame. The hands and feet of the victim were placed in holes, rendering him unable to escape or move freely. Petty criminals were put in the stocks, so the town people could gather around, laughing and humiliating the person, even throwing rotten vegetables at them. The phrase laughing stock had developed into its current use by the early 1500s.
To lead someone up the garden path means to deceive them. that's also sometimes set us down the garden path. and its origins started in the early 1900s in England. Country estates at the time usually had acres of gardens that contained trees, hedges, and paths that would wind throughout. It was in the romantic parts of these gardens that gentlemen would traditionally propose to their sweetheart.
Women knew this.
so to be invited on a walk by a suitor was a positive sign, and one they were often keen to accept. Uh But it also wasn't uncommon for some men to lead a woman up the garden path, not to propose marriage, but merely to try to seduce her. To leave high and dry means to be stranded without hope of recovery and not surprisingly this expression relates to the world of sailing. It dates from the early 1800s and originally referred to a ship being run aground and unable to move. This left the ship exposed and vulnerable to attack, and the captain was rendered helpless until the tide came in.
Mm-hmm. Its first written usage was in the Times newspaper in London in 1796, where it was said that a ship had gone aground. when the tide had ebbed. left her nearly high and dry. To be left in the lurch means to be abandoned in an awkward or difficult situation.
and its origins are with an old French board game called Lorge. It was played with dice and was similar to backgammon. If a player was left in a position from which they couldn't win, he suffered a launch, which was a disadvantage. This concept was then brought into the card game of cribbage, where if a player is trailing by a certain margin, he is said to be left in the lurch. To let the cat out of a bag means to give away a secret, and it dates from the early sixteenth century and derives from a time when unscrupulous market vendors sold false goods.
One of their common deceptions was to substitute a worthless cat for a valuable pig. After showing a buyer the sought-after suckling pig, Negotiations on price would begin and the pig would be placed in a carry bag. At some point when the buyer was distracted, the pig would be replaced for a cat. It was only when the duped buyer got home that the fraud was revealed when he let the cat out of the bag. The expression lick it into shape means to mould something or someone to suit a situation.
and it derives from the ancient Roman belief that animals were born formless and that their mothers had to lick them into the required shape. This belief is likely to have arisen because all mammals are born covered with a thick afterbirth, which can make them unrecognizable. The mother then licks that off, and the properly formed animal appears. Bear cubs in particular are born in a seemingly shapeless form and receive a lot of attention from their mothers.
So this would have also lent weight to the Romans' belief. If you say that someone is lily-lived, it means that you think they are cowardly. It's often heard in Western movies. and it's an expression that we owe to the ancient Greeks. like many others.
They believed that the liver was the organ that created blood and that a poorly functioning liver resulted in physical and mental weakness. In line with this belief, they thought that a pale, lily coloured complexion indicated a cowardly person, while rosy cheeks would be found on a strong man in good health. The Greeks also had the custom of sacrificing an animal before each battle. They looked to the animal's liver as an omen. A liver full of blood was a good sign.
but a pale liver did not auger well. It was the great bard Shakespeare that brought the phrase into the mainstream when he used it in his 1606 play Macbeth. The lion's share is the largest part of something. and it derives from one of Aesop's fables. which now bears that name.
It tells the story of a lion, a wolf and a fox, as well as an ass who kill a stag to eat. The bounty is divided into quarters to share equally, but before they start eating, the lion claims the first portion because he is the king of the jungle. He then claims the second portion because he is the strongest and then the third portion because he is the most courageous. The other animals are left with the last quarter to eat, but they are too afraid to claim it with the lion standing over them.
So depending on the version of the story, the lion's share is either three quarters or everything. And great job as always to Greg on the production, and a special thanks to Andrew Thompson. Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red is the book. Go to Amazon.com and the usual suspects to buy it. Andrew Thompson, The Stories of How Our Language Came to Be.
Here on Our American Stories. Lee Habib here, the host of Our American Stories. Every day on this show, we're bringing inspiring stories from across this great country. Stories from our big cities and small towns. But we truly can't do this show without you.
Our stories are free to listen to, but they're not free to make. If you love what you hear, go to OwlAmericanStories.com and click the donate button. Give a little, give a lot. Go to ouramericanstories.com and give. 10 athletes will face the toughest job interview in fitness that will push past physical and mental breaking points.
You are the fittest of the fit. Only one of you will leave here with an IFIT contract for $250,000. This is where mindset comes in.
Someone will be eliminated. Pressure is coming down. Pit. It's Trainer Games. Watch it on Prime Video starting January 8th.
Yeah. Shhh. You won't believe what my new friend just told me about dinosaurs. Is your child having conversations you never imagined? Are they learning without realizing it?
It's not a tablet. It's not a toy. It's Miko Mini Plus, the AI-powered companion that turns curiosity into endless learning. Hear the future of playtime. Meet the extraordinary Miko Mini Plus.
Only at Costco. Come for the Black Friday seasonal savings. Stay for the award-winning reporting. For a limited time, access to the Washington Post is just 99 cents. That's unlimited access to all of the posts for only 99 cents every four weeks.
That's a great deal for the first year. After that, it'll cost $12 every four weeks. You can cancel any time. But don't wait, this Black Friday seasonal offer won't be here for long. Go to Washington Post dot com slash iHeart and grab this deal before it's gone.
That's Washington Post dot com slash iHeart. Every generation, every sacrifice, our nation's service members have stood up for our freedom, our families, and our future.
Now it's our turn to stand up for them. This year, you can honor their service in a deeply personal way by sponsoring a $17 Veterans Wreath. Each wreath is more than a symbol. It's a heartfelt tribute to the heroes who served and to the families who carry their legacy. Visit WreathsAcrossAmerica.org to sponsor a wreath today.
This isn't just a wreath. It's a personal gift to an American hero. Ah. Greetings from my bath, festive friends. The holidays are overwhelming, but I'm tackling this season with PayPal and making the most of my money, getting 5% cash back when I pay in four.
No fees, no interest. I used it to get this portable spa with jets.
Now the bubbles can cling to my sculpted but pruny body. Make the most of your money this holiday with PayPal. Save the offer and the app. N1231, see PayPal.com slash promo terms points to your renewed for cash and more paying for subject to terms and approval. PayPal Inc.
and MLS 910-457. This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human. Uh
