Why Do We Say That?

BEAT ABOUT THE BUSH
When hunting birds some people would beat about the bush to drive them out into the open. Other people would catch the birds. 'I won't beat about the bush' came to mean 'I will go straight to the point without any delay'.

BAKERS DOZEN
A bakers dozen means thirteen. It is said to have come from the days when bakers were severely

SHORT SHRIFT
A shrift was a confession made to a priest. Criminals were allowed to make a short shrift before they were executed. So if you gave somebody short shrift you gave them a few minutes to confess their sins before carry out the execution.

TAKE SOMEBODY UNDER YOUR WING
In Luke 12:34 Jesus laments that he wished to gather the people of Jerusalem as a hen gathers her chicks under new wings but Jerusalem was not willing.