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by   on March 20th, 2009

 

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Where does the phrase "going out on a limb" come from?

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  • by OldCW wears The COAT of the Cosmos on March 20th, 2009

    OldCW wears The COAT of the Cosmos

    "To get to the fruit of a tree, you have to go out on a limb."

    It means that sometimes you have to take a chance to reap the reward.

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  • by HFB93 on March 20th, 2009

    HFB93

    i'm not entirely sure but i think it has something to do with climbing trees and being on a branch, when you go out on the limb of the tree you become unsafe, putting yourself in danger

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  • by Nasiswand on March 20th, 2009

    Nasiswand

    You could get hung for it, but you're going to do it anyways.

    "Okay Pete, I'll go out on a limb and steal the damn horse with you."

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  • by -NUNYA-- on March 20th, 2009

    -NUNYA--

    Trying to reach the apple at the end of the branch. Can also mean taking a risk. "I'm going out on a limb here to help you Bob." +5

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  • by Muffinsauce on December 26th, 2009

    Muffinsauce

    The phrase "going out on a limb" is obviously referring to trees. People who were hungry long ago, or even today might see a piece of fruit dangling above on a tree branch. Driven by their hunger they would climb the tree and attempt to slowly make their way to the fruit, risking the possibility of injury as the branch could snap at any moment. People would do the same thing for pets they own, like cats. Cats climb trees and get stuck in them sometimes, and of course some people would climb up to try and help the cat. Like the phrase says, they are going out on a limb.

    The earliest use of this phrase as we know it today was near the end of the 19th century. Used by Steubenville Daily Herald in 1895:

    "We can carry the legislature like hanging out a washing. The heft [main part] of the fight will be in Hamilton country. If we get the 14 votes of Hamilton we've got 'em out on a limb. All we've got to do then is shake it or saw it off."

    www.knowyourphrase.com is where i copy pasted this from

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