get the short end of the stick
Meaning: to receive unfair treatment; to get the worse deal.
Language: English
Literally: to get the short end of the stick
Category: Daily Life
Origin: The usual explanation is drawing lots: sticks or straws of unequal length are held so the ends look level, and whoever pulls the short one takes the bad outcome — a method valued precisely because it removes human choice from an unwelcome decision. There is a competing account with better documentary footing, however. A coarser version of the phrase, using an unprintable adjective in place of "short," is attested in English from the 1800s and refers to a stick used for a sanitary purpose where one end is decidedly worse to hold than the other. A number of etymologists regard the polite "short" as a later replacement for that word rather than an independent origin, which would make the drawing-lots story a plausible-sounding reconstruction attached to the phrase after the fact.
More idioms — Daily Life
- no love lost — mutual dislike; bad relations between people.
- throw in the towel — to give up; to concede defeat.
- the real McCoy — the genuine article; something authentic and high quality.
- get a kick out of something — to enjoy something greatly; to find something amusing.
- run it up the flagpole — to test an idea; to present something for approval or feedback.
- To steal someone's thunder — To take credit for another's idea or upstage their big moment.
More English idioms
- fit as a fiddle — in excellent physical condition; healthy.
- take the plunge — to commit to something risky; to make a decisive move.
- a nose for something — a talent for finding or recognizing something; keen instinct.
- keep your chin up — to remain optimistic; to stay courageous during difficulty.
- pitter-patter of little feet — the sound of children running; anticipation of having babies.
- be in someone's shoes — to understand someone's perspective; to experience their situation.
From our proverbs
- Wisdom begins in wonder — Curiosity and a sense of amazement at the world are the foundations of all knowledge.
- He who is everywhere is nowhere — Trying to do too many things at once means accomplishing nothing properly.
- Do not go where the path may lead; go where there is no path and leave a trail — True innovation and leadership mean forging your own way rather than following the crowd.