I always assumed it was relating to cricket and achieving something - runs - using your own endeavours.
Cricket is the general claim to the origin, but that's only to cover up the vampire root of the phrase after the great garlic and stake shortage of 1824. FACT
I've always used the back version, if i've ever said it that is. I assumed it meant doing it all yourself with no help, e.g. with just what you had yourself (carried on your back) which wouldn't be a lot.
But having said that I always heard chest of drawers being said to sound like 'chester drawers' and up until I was about 23 I assumed they were called Chester Drawers.
I remember trying to visualise the medical contraption an elderly relative was getting treatment from, and what a danjeliss would do to them while they were on it. Until I saw 'danger list' written.
Some Greek girl once advised me that if you are being bitten by mosquitoes a lot, you should avoid garlic. I love garlic, but I gave it a go. Sure enough the little ****s stopped sucking my blood. This is the opposite of the Vampire legend, because you are meant to use garlic to ward off vampires. Did Bram Stoker know this and just reversed the idea? Whilst I'm on the subject, does anyone else think Ehcunt looks suspiciously like an Egyptian Dracula? Sucking the lifeblood out of our club. Crucifix protest
Cheap as chips. Another one the wrong way round, have you seen the price of a bag of chips these days?
Cheap at half the price. For something that's good value!?!?! I mean yes. Surely it should be twice the price?
However, it's not just an English thing Swedes say “Gå som katten kring het gröt" which literally translates as "Walks around hot porridge like a cat.” And roughly means He beats around the bush...I mean come on!
I'm a bit under the weather this morning, but I'll make a half-arsed attempt... Trying to do something correctly, but failing, I would be told by my gran - "Frame lad, you're like a lass in red stockings". Sick as a dog; sick as a parrot. Raining cats and dogs Once every Sheffield flood Spuds in yer socks Deaf as a post
Never understood when suppliers say ex stock when it's in stock ... As a wet behind the ears office junior I used to think it meant ex, as in it used to be in stock , caused a few issues