• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Zippy Facts Logo

Zippy Facts

Interesting Random Facts

  • Animals
  • Culture
  • Firsts
  • Food
  • Geography
  • Health
  • History
  • Inventions
  • Language
  • Mythology
  • Odds
  • People
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Space
  • Universe
  • World
You are here: Home / Language / Where does the idiom “between cup and lip” come from and What does it mean?

Where does the idiom “between cup and lip” come from and What does it mean?

March 1, 2020 by Karen Hill

Four centuries ago the saying “between cup and lip” was “between cup and mouth,” at least it is so recorded in Prouerbes or Adagies, by Richard Taverner, published in 1539: “Manye thynges fall betweene ye cuppe and the mouth.”

The saying itself, however, is much older than that, for Taverner was merely translating into English the Latin collection of adages, Chiliades adagiorum, published by Erasmus in 1508. In one form or another, it is found in many languages.

Usually, in English, the saying occurs in the form of a proverb, “There’s many a slip between cup and lip,” signifying that there is nothing certain in life, that though one may have a cup at his mouth ready to swallow its contents, something may even then prevent the drinking.

Erasmus wrote it, “Multa cadunt inter calicem supremaque labra,” and is believed to have taken it from Greek. The origin is said to have come from the following legendary incident: Ancaeus, a son of Neptune, was especially skilful in the cultivation of his vineyard, and drove his slaves exceedingly hard at this work.

One year, a slave, worn out by toil, prophesied that the master would never taste the wine from that harvest; but when the fruit was gathered and the first wine was being pressed from it, Ancaeus sent for the slave to show how poor a prophet he was.

“There’s many a slip between cup and lip,” replied the slave as Ancaeus raised the goblet to his mouth, and just at that moment another slave rushed up, crying that a wild boar was destroying the vineyard.

Ancaeus dropped the cup, ran to the fields to drive off the marauder, but the ferocious beast turned upon his pursuer and gored him to death before anyone could come to his aid.

Related Facts

  • What does the idiom "to put a spoke in one's wheel" mean and Where does it come from?
  • Where does the idiom "white elephant" come from and What does it mean?
  • What does the idiom "three sheets in the wind" mean and Where does it come from?
  • Where does the idiom "on the nail" come from and What does it mean?
  • Where does the idiom "to chew the fat" come from and What does it mean?
  • Where does the idiom "to go hog wild" come from and What does it mean?

Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « Where does the saying “to put one through a course of sprouts” come from and What does it mean?
Next Post: Where does the expression “a wild goose chase” come from and What does it mean? »

Footer

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • GitHub
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Medium
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Categories

Accomplishments Animals Culture Firsts Food Geography Health History Inventions Language Mythology Odds People Religion Science Space Universe World Your Body

About

Zippy Facts empowers the world by serving educational content that is accessible to everyone.

A tribute to growing up, zippyfacts.com showcases interesting and unusual facts about the world.

Our mission is to use technology to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing.

Copyright © 2021 Zippy Facts

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy