A Bird in the Hand

• "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" is a colorful way of saying the advantage you possess has greater value than the potentially greater advantage just out of reach. This saying dates back to the medieval era practice of falconry. An owner's falcon -- a bird in the hand -- proved more valuable in the long run than the prey -- "two birds" or other animals in a bush.
  
  

Beat a Dead Horse

• When you "beat a dead horse," you attempt to convince another party to adopt an action or opinion even after all chances of success leave. In the 1860s, British politician John Bright used the phrase to describe how he felt while trying to prompt fellow members of Parliament to pass a piece of legislation in spite of their disinterest.
  
  

Saved by the Bell

• Intervention saves you at the last possible moment when you are "saved by the bell." This phrase likely originated in the boxing rings of the late 1800s. A ringing bell marked the end of a boxing round and could save a boxer close to defeat.
  
  Some also theorize that the phrase refers to a type of coffin with a bell attached, preventing people from being buried alive. No evidence suggests that such coffins existed, however.
  
  

Ride Shotgun

• When you "ride shotgun," you sit in the seat next to the driver. Stagecoach passengers faced many threats, including highway bandits. The driver must focus on driving, but the passenger sitting in the spot directly next to the driver could arm himself with a shotgun and, in doing so, protect himself and the riders from threats.
  
  

Wrong Side of the Bed

• You start the day in a grumpy or unpleasant mood when you "get up on the wrong side of the bed." This phrase dates back to ancient Rome. Common belief held that getting out of bed on the left, or wrong, side caused a person to experience bad luck for the day. Exiting on the right side of the bed led to a good day.
  
  

Raining Cats and Dogs

• "Raining cats and dogs" means excessive amounts of rain continue to fall for an extended period of time. While a vast number of theories exist to explain this idiom, the most probable dates to England in the 1600s. Poor public sanitation meant that heavy downpours of rain washed away anything lying in the streets -- including stray cats and dogs.
  
  

Bite the Bullet

• When you "bite the bullet," you endure the inevitable pain and hardship. Before anesthesia, surgeons could offer patients only a little whiskey or other alcohol to numb the pain and something to bite down on as the pain intensified. On the battlefield, surgeons occasionally offered a lead bullet to help the injured solider through the pain.