Western Word of the Week - Bark up the Wrong Tree - #WesternWordoftheWeek #WesternWednesdays

Howdy!

Thanks for returning to our Western Word of the Day column. The next few weeks I'm drifting a little bit away from what we think of as truly "western" words to focus on some other vocabulary term that I've learned and wanted to share.

Bark up the Wrong Tree - to follow the wrong course; bothering someone; to pursue a fruitless activity

Origin of the term: Hunting dogs something got distracted by a scent and barked at empty trees

Source:
History Channel, "America's Secret Slang" video series
www.history.com/shows/americas-secret-slang Labels: Scotland, Ireland, america, american, cowboy, historic, history, old west, reference, research, west, western, words, writer, writing, vocabulary

Western Word of the Week - Trailblazing - #WesternWordoftheWeek #WesternWednesdays

Howdy!

Thanks for returning to our Western Word of the Day column. The next few weeks I'm drifting a little bit away from what we think of as truly "western" words to focus on some other vocabulary term that I've learned and wanted to share.

Trailblazing - being the first to conquer/discover something/somewhere

Origin of the term: People made trails in unexplored woods and marked their tracks with a "blaze" (a white mark) on a tree

Source:
History Channel, "America's Secret Slang" video series
www.history.com/shows/americas-secret-slang

Western Word of the Week - Backwoods - #WesternWordoftheWeek #WesternWednesdays

Howdy!

Thanks for returning to our Western Word of the Day column. The next few weeks I'm drifting a little bit away from what we think of as truly "western" words to focus on some other vocabulary term that I've learned and wanted to share.

Backwoods - rural; uneducated; hillbilly

Origin of the term: Colonial Times: Scots-Irish people (who at that time in America were poor, rowdy, uneducated, rebellious, hillbilly) moved into the woods back from the coasts and thus "backwoods" people became associated with hillbillies

Source:
History Channel, "America's Secret Slang" video series
www.history.com/shows/americas-secret-slang

Western Word of the Week - Bury the Hatchet - #WesternWordoftheWeek #WesternWednesdays

Howdy!

Thanks for returning to our Western Word of the Day column. The next few weeks I'm drifting a little bit away from what we think of as truly "western" words to focus on some other vocabulary term that I've learned and wanted to share.

Bury the Hatchet - to forgive someone/something

Origin of the term: Iroquois would literally bury a hatchet in the ground to indicate a peace treaty

Source:
History Channel, "America's Secret Slang" video series
www.history.com/shows/americas-secret-slang

Western Word of the Week - Fly off the Handle - #WesternWordoftheWeek #WesternWednesdays

Howdy!

Thanks for returning to our Western Word of the Day column. The next few weeks I'm drifting a little bit away from what we think of as truly "western" words to focus on some other vocabulary term that I've learned and wanted to share.

Fly off the Handle - to lose control; lose control of one's anger

Origin of the term: Scots-Irish: Axe heads weren't always well-secured on their handles and could possibly fly off dangerously

Source:
History Channel, "America's Secret Slang" video series
www.history.com/shows/americas-secret-slang