Origins of Expressions

  As Vain as a Peacock  Watch this on YouTube here - Vain Video - YouTube Video Meaning: As vain as a peacock or As Proud as a Peacock means excessively proud of one's appearance, possessions, or accomplishments, to the point of arrogance or boastfulness. Origin: The peacock has been used as a symbol of vanity and showiness since ancient times around the world, and in England certainly from the Middle Ages. We first see it in writing in 1387 by Geoffrey Chaucer in The Canterbury Tales in the third story told called The Reeve’s Tale it reads, “As any peacock he was proud” From then forward the expression has been used in English to express someone who shows vanity about their appearance and possessions. Example: Today we still see the phrase as vain as a peacock or as proud as a peacock being used to express someone that is self-absorbed and vain. An example sentence is: “She is as vain as a peacock, staring in the mirror all day.” Watch this on YouTube here - Vain V...

  To Do Something in Vain  Watch this on YouTube here - Vain Video - YouTube Video Meaning: To Do Something in Vain means Without success; futile, hopelessly “Well, I just did that in vain” Origin: The phrase has been used since the 1300s. There are examples of the phrase being used in the Bible. The original phrase was translated from the Latin “in vanum” meaning to no effect. In these cases, the word vanum or vain meant empty. When the word “in” is added to the front it means that something takes on an empty or negative purpose.   Example: Today we still use the phrase to do something in vain to express that the effort we just put into a task will not pay off, it was useless. An example sentence is: “All of my studying was in vain. The professor asked questions that weren’t even in the material.”  Watch this on YouTube here - Vain Video - YouTube Video

  Take One's Name in Vain  Watch this on YouTube here - Vain Video - YouTube Video Meaning: Take One's Name in Vain means to speak about someone when they are not present, usually in a poor manner. “Hey, I heard that! Don't take my name in vain!” Origin: This phrase has been around for a while, This idiom originated as a translation from the Latin version of the Bible, stating “to take God's name in vain,” and for a time was used only to denote blasphemy and profanity. We first see the phrase from the Ten Commandments that prohibits  Speaking God's name in vain. In the early 1700s, it began to be used more loosely as well. Example: Today we do not hear the saying to take one name in vain as much, but if we did, it would still have the same meaning, to say don’t talk bad about someone when they are not around, an example sentence is: “My new Desk is near Tom, and he keeps talking about me and taking my name in Vain.” Watch this on YouTube here - ...