“Gone To Pot”
Are we discussing marijuana….how about cremation, as in the placing of human ashes in an urn or pot..gone to pot?
Once again we look into the origins of a phrase…”gone to pot”. This phrase dates back before Elizabethan times and was inspired by pieces of meat being chopped up and going into the pot for stew. Personally, I really like stew, even if it’s an inferior cut of meat. Too bad they didn’t have crock pots to help with that stew.
Eating stew meant you were poor?
The idea comes from rich men trimming off a joint and giving it to the servants for their stew pot. This is where the idea of ‘going down in the world’ comes from, because a poor man’s stew didn’t compare to the rich man’s tender and tasty cut of meat. Going to or gone to pot, suggests going down in the world. Your identity was destroyed and you literally disintegrated..and became a nobody.
What will you think the next time you hear someone say “I’ve let myself go to pot”? Leave your comments here!
Taken from the Henry Holt Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins by Robert Hendrickson
I’m going to think of stew and how that may not be *such* a bad thing! 😀
Nice to have you stop by, Becky!
No matter where you are, people are classified as rich or poor. I love stew and for some, that’s a rich man’s meal!
I never really consider the origin of phrases. I always assumed that “gone to pot” meant “gone to the toilet” as it seemed to imply.
I like stew, although I haven’t had it in a very long time since I’ve given up eating beef and pork and will eventually give up poultry(someday). But I’m sure there’s a vegetarian stew recipe out there somewhere.
I knew a young guy that thought the quote, “Take My yoke upon you…” was referring to egg yolks. I kid you not!
Try some sweet potatoes and butternut squash in your stew. I don’t think tofu sounds too good for protein in it though.
I am loving this series! “Gone to pot” is a very common phrase in our area and I’ve always wondered where it came from!
It’s interesting how certain phrases even apply to specific areas of the country. When we lived in Texas, they would say, “I’m fixin’ to do___”.
Glad you stopped by and commented, Audra!
that makes sence – though, it’s so interesting how we make references to something so antiquated, isn’t it??
We are truly creatures of habit! There are more phrases coming up, and not all are pleasant or funny.
Thanks for leaving your comment…it adds to everyone’s reading pleasure!
Hi Donna:
Here’s another saying, ‘Knock on wood’. I’ve heard that it comes from Christian antiquity. After St. Helena found the Holy, Precious and Life-giving Cross that Jesus was crucified on it was kept at the Church of the Holy Sepulchure in Jerusalem. When people were sick or going through some trial they would come and pray before the Holy Cross and touch it. Their prayers would be answered and the saying ‘Knock on wood’ came from this. Fragments of the True Cross of Jesus Christ are still held at the this church in Jerusalem.
Lance
There’s even more, Lance. I’ll bring it out on another posting. I read about three different origins for it, not all spiritual.
Thanks for stopping by the blog and commenting!