We ugly Americans are gluttonous. More is better. We collect. Some even hoard. More insurance. More regulations. “More, more, more” sang Andrea True in 1976. But when you “have more than you can shake a stick at” you likely have too much. What pray tell does that mean and where did that phrase come from?
Meaning: Having more of something than you need
History: Farmers controlled their sheep by shaking their staffs to indicate where the animals should go. When farmers had more sheep than they could control, it was said they had “more than you can shake a stick at.”
But, just because one owns more than they can handle or might need it doesn’t give you the right to steal from them. Maybe you could beg. Maybe you could borrow. But you shalt not steal. If you do grab a sheep or two, be sure to wash away the evidence right away. After all you don’t want to be “caught with blood on your hands.”
Meaning: To be caught doing something wrong
History: This saying originated because of a law. If someone butchered an animal that didn’t belong to him, he had to be caught with the animal’s blood on his hands to be convicted. Being caught with freshly cut meat did not make the person guilty.
Seems like it was tough even way back then to convict someone of a crime. That must be why it seems like we have more criminals than we can shake a stick at.