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Salting a bird's tail is a legendary superstition of Europe and America, and an English language idiom. The superstition is that sprinkling salt on a bird's tail will render the bird temporarily unable to fly, enabling its capture. The nursery rhyme "Simple Simon", which dates to at least the 17th century and possibly earlier, includes the verse
Toi toi toi" (English: / ˈ t ɔɪ ˈ t ɔɪ ˈ t ɔɪ /) [1] is an expression used in the performing arts to wish an artist success in an imminent performance. It is similar to "break a leg" and reflects a superstition that wishing someone "good luck" is in fact bad luck. [2] [3] [4]
An idiom is a common word or phrase with a figurative, non-literal meaning that is understood culturally and differs from what its composite words' denotations would suggest; i.e. the words together have a meaning that is different from the dictionary definitions of the individual words (although some idioms do retain their literal meanings – see the example "kick the bucket" below).
"Bread and butter" is a superstitious blessing or charm, typically said by young couples or friends walking together when they are forced to separate by an obstacle, such as a pole or another person.
"Break a leg" is a typical English idiom used in the context of theatre or other performing arts to wish a performer "good luck". An ironic or non-literal saying of uncertain origin (a dead metaphor ), "break a leg" is commonly said to actors and musicians before they go on stage to perform or before an audition .
Glossary of English-language idioms derived from baseball; Bed of roses; Belling the Cat; Best friends forever; Between Scylla and Charybdis; Bill matter; Birds of a feather flock together; Black sheep; Blessing in disguise; Blood, toil, tears and sweat; Born in the purple; The Boy Who Cried Wolf; Bread and butter (superstition) Break a leg ...
“Another meaning of an itchy nose is that an unexpected visitor or new acquaintance is poised to enter your life very soon,” Arbeau tells Parade. “Paying attention to your surroundings and ...
The first track on Seanan McGuire's album Wicked Girls, also titled "Counting Crows", features a modified version of the rhyme. [14] The artist S. J. Tucker's song, "Ravens in the Library," from her album Mischief, utilises the modern version of the rhyme as a chorus, and the rest of the verses relate to the rhyme in various ways. [15]