The Archive

Etymology Journal ยท D

Did somebody wake up on the wrong side of the bed?

Meaning

A gentle or mocking way of asking why someone is being grumpy or irritable. It suggests that the person's bad mood is just a temporary glitch.

Sarcastic, playful

Used in a sentence

  • Did somebody wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?
  • You are snapping at everyone, did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?
  • I am sorry I was rude, I guess I woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

The backstory

The idea that getting out of the wrong side of a bed brings bad luck is an ancient Roman superstition. It became a popular English idiom in the 20th century to point out grouchiness.

Heard in

Nationwide

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