Not a Hide Nor Hair 🙈
Definition:
“Not a hide nor hair” is a quaint way to say that something—or someone—is entirely absent, with no trace left behind. This expression has been in the English lexicon since the days of Chaucer, evoking the completeness of an animal wrapped in its hide and hair.
Origins:
The inside cover of this idiom is as delightful as the outside: it dates back to the Middle Ages. An animal’s entirety was seen quite literally as its hide and hair—if neither is in sight, then it is fundamentally gone. In other words, you couldn’t make heads or tails of it.
Example:
- “I haven’t seen hide nor hair of my keys since yesterday!” means those keys are straight up Houdini.
Similar Terms:
- MIA (Missing In Action)
- Off the radar
- Vanished into thin air
Thought-Provoking Examples:
“If you’ve ever misplaced your phone and found yourself turning your home inside out looking for it, then you’ve already experienced the true meaning behind ’not a hide nor hair.'”
Literary References:
- Josiah G. Holland, “The Bay-Path” (1857): “I haven’t seen hide nor hair of the piece.”
- Geoffrey Chaucer (credited for many expressions woven into the fabric of English).
Suggest Literature, Books, Songs, Poetry, and Movies:
- Book: “The Hound of the Baskervilles” by Arthur Conan Doyle - Mysterious disappearances are afoot!
- Song: “Gone” by *Nsync - because, you know, no hide nor hair…
- Movie: “Gone Girl” directed by David Fincher - A masterclass in disappearing acts.
Humor-Filled Quote:
“He was about as easy to find as my motivation on a Monday morning – not a hide nor hair!” — An anonymous office worker.
Related Idioms:
1. “Needle in a Haystack” 🧵
- Definition: Anything that’s impossibly hard to locate.
- Example: “Finding my notebook in this mess is like looking for a needle in a haystack.”
- Synonyms: Herculean task, Wild goose chase.
- Humor: Ever tried finding matching socks? Easy, like finding Waldo.
2. “Out of Sight, Out of Mind” 👀
- Definition: When you’re not around something, you tend to forget about it.
- Example: “I used to worry about my exes, but out of sight, out of mind!”
- Antonyms: Can’t get you out of my head.
- Humor: Works with vegetables in the fridge, too.
3. “Gone With The Wind” 💨
- Definition: Vanished completely.
- Example: “My patience is gone with the wind.”
- Inspirational: Adaptability is bravery, as things may come and go, but we endure.
Farewell in quasi-Victorian flair:
Until our next delightful linguistic escapade 🍏🍊, may your phrases be fresh, your words be wise, and the hide nor hair of dullness be absent from your conversations.
Yours in whimsical wordiness, Penelope Whimsy
