Common Phrases’ Origin and History That Will Leave You Shocked

5. Cat got your tongue

The phrase is used for a person who suddenly finds himself at a loss for words when he is too shocked, surprised or is just bested by another speaker. There are two origins to this phrase. The first is from a particular whip called the cat-o-nine-tails which was said to inflict so much pain that the person receiving the flogging was not able to speak for days afterward. The second origin story is much more brutal as it involves the ancient practice of cutting out the tongues of liars and feeding them to cats.

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