OLD-WORDS-L Archives

From: Shirley <>
Subject: "Gone to pot"
Date: Thu, 02 Sep 1999 18:37:28 -0700

Q. Why is someone who has seen better days "gone to pot"?

A. Time eventually wears everything down. For example, once great downtown
department stores declined, went to pot and were replaced by suburban malls. If
you've ever gone to a high school reunion, you know how just a few years, a few
pounds, and a few gray hairs can make old classmates look like they've gone to
pot, too.

But why the pot? Is something cooking? Whatever counter-culture references the
phrase may bring to mind, it actually is about the kitchen. In the Middle Ages,
table scraps ended up in a big pot for stew. Once the centerpiece of a big
meal, main courses were demoted to leftovers. Eventually "going to pot",
meaning going downhill, would be applied to anything, even the guy who sat
behind you in homeroom years ago.

(Source: BREWER'S DICTIONARY OF PHRASE AND FABLE)
http://mailbits.com/Trivia/Source/82.ht

This thread:

• "Gone to pot" by Shirley <>