Word Watching ~ Why we say it!

Canary.  How did the inmate of a jail come to be called a 'canary'?

A person placed in jail was called a 'jail bird' because the bars of the jail were similar to the bars of a bird's cage.  He was called a 'canary' because at one time English convicts sent to Australia arrived there dressed in yellow.

Calamity Jane.  What is the origin of the name 'Calamity Jane'?

The original Calamity Jane, Mrs. Martha Burke, was a famous western character who said she got her name because she carried two guns and any man who trifled with her invited calamity.

Church Mouse.  How did a 'church mouse' come to be the symbol of poverty--as in the expression, 'poor as a church mouse'?

There is no cupboard or larder in a church to produce crumbs for a mouse to feed upon.

~ Why Do We Say It? The Stories behind the Words, Expressions and Cliches We Use, CASTLE BOOKS, 1985.