Under the Weather (Origin)

by Craig Shrives

What Is the Origin of the Saying "Under the Weather"?

Meaning unwell or feeling worse than usual, the term under the weather is a nautical term from the days of old sailing ships. Any sailor who was feeling ill would be sent below deck to protect him from the weather. (Being below deck, the sailor would literally be under the weather.)
Under the Weather (Origin)

Examples of Use:

  • You look pale. Are you feeling under the weather?
  • Anna called in sick yesterday because she felt under the weather.
  • I'm feeling under the weather. I'll stay home today.

Previous and Next Sayings

Test Your Knowledge of English Proverbs and Idioms

Ready for the Test?

More Proverbs, Sayings, and Idioms

Help Us Improve Grammar Monster

  • Do you disagree with something on this page?
  • Did you spot a typo?

Find Us Quicker!

  • When using a search engine (e.g., Google, Bing), you will find Grammar Monster quicker if you add #gm to your search term.

See Also

What are idioms? What is figurative language? A list of common grammar errors A list of easily confused words A list of sayings and proverbs