10 Common Phrases We'll Stop Using by 2025 (And Their Odd Origins)
Language is a living, breathing thing, constantly evolving with technology and culture. As we charge further into the digital age, many phrases that once made perfect sense are now sounding like relics from a bygone era. By 2025, some of these common expressions are already on their way out, their origins often more bizarre and fascinating than you'd imagine!
Get ready to discover the quirky histories behind words and phrases that are quickly becoming obsolete.
"Dialing a Number"
Remember rotary phones? The physical act of rotating a dial to connect a call? That's where "dialing a number" comes from. Now, with smartphones, we simply tap a contact or enter digits. The 'dial' is long gone, and so too will be the phrase.
"Hang Up the Phone"
After a call, we now "end the call" or "disconnect." But back in the day, early telephones required you to literally hang the receiver back on a hook to break the circuit. Hence, "hang up the phone."
"Rewind/Fast Forward"
Ah, the days of VCRs and cassette tapes! To get to a specific part of a movie or song, you had to physically "rewind" or "fast forward" the tape. Today, streaming services let us skip, scrub, or jump ahead/back instantly. The tape is no more, and neither is the action.
"Burning a CD/DVD"
Before cloud storage and ubiquitous streaming, if you wanted to share digital files or music, you'd "burn" them onto a blank CD or DVD using a laser. This process literally 'burned' microscopic pits into the disc's surface. Now, we simply share a link or upload to the cloud.
"Carbon Copy"
When you need a duplicate of a document, you simply hit "copy" on your computer. But the phrase "carbon copy" comes from the era of typewriters and carbon paper, a special paper placed between two sheets to transfer ink and create an identical copy. The digital age has rendered this physical process, and its phrase, largely obsolete.
"Broken Record"
Someone repeating themselves incessantly? You might have called them a "broken record." This vivid phrase stems from the days of vinyl records, where a deep scratch could cause the needle to get stuck in a groove, repeating the same segment of audio over and over. With digital music, a 'glitch' or 'loop' is more accurate.
"Roll Down the Window"
Unless you're driving a vintage car, chances are your vehicle has power windows. The phrase "roll down the window" comes from the time when car windows were operated by a manual crank that literally 'rolled' the glass up or down. Now, you press a button.
"On the Fritz"
When something is malfunctioning or broken, it's "on the fritz." The origin of this quirky phrase is a bit murky, but it's widely believed to come from the German phrase "auf dem Fritz," meaning 'broken' or 'out of order.' As technology becomes more complex, we're more likely to say something is "glitching" or "malfunctioning."
"Put a Sock in It"
A rather impolite way to tell someone to be quiet. This phrase is thought to originate from early phonographs or gramophones. If the music was too loud, people would literally stuff a sock into the horn to muffle the sound. While still understood, its usage is certainly declining.
"Saved by the Bell"
A last-minute rescue from a difficult situation. While often, and incorrectly, attributed to people being buried alive with a bell to ring if they woke up (a fascinating but false urban legend), its true origin is believed to be from boxing. When a fighter is in trouble, the bell signaling the end of the round can 'save' them from a knockout.
As we continue to innovate, our language will undoubtedly shed more of these charming, yet outdated, expressions. So, next time you catch yourself saying one of these, take a moment to appreciate the fascinating history behind it!
