Here's an idiom that hurts.
Idiom: Charley horse
Definition
A sudden pain in the leg, often from exercise or sports. This idiom was first used in baseball.
Examples
→ Kim got a Charley horse and had to rest.
Notes
This baseball idiom goes back to the late 1800s for both baseball and outside of baseball. It was recorded in 1888 for dancing: "I could dance in those days, because, you see, I never was bothered with ‘Charley Horse’."
Level
The idiom Charley horse is advanced-level vocabulary. The phrase is very common in sports.
Idioms: Idioms are phrases whose meaning is not clear from the words in them. Idioms come from many sources. This is a sports idiom from baseball, a phrase that is now used figuratively outside of the sport. It is an example of the many popular, colorful idioms that come from baseball. Check out the book English for Baseball for more vocabulary from the sport. Or for general sports idioms, check out English Idioms 2: Sports—Hit a Home Run.
Learn more idioms at the Targets in English Lessons page. You can also find Targets in English on Twitter and the web.
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