under the weather

to be feeling slightly sick or unwell

TRANSLATION

krank, unwohl, nicht ganz in Form sein

STATISTICS

IN THE PRESS

"Chief executive Michael Musto told investors at the start of a conference call Thursday that he was feeling 'a little bit UNDER THE WEATHER.'"

(St. Petersburg Times Online: Business - December 2002)

Did you
know?

Did you know?
            
Origin:

This phrase meaning "ill" dates to 1827 and probably derives from the idea that the weather can affect your mood and health.

There is a theory that it is a shortened form of the nautical phrase "under the weather bow", a reference to the side of the ship's bow that is taking the full force of rough seas, and is a reference to seasickness.

Another theory refers to a British/Australian nautical use of the phrase to mean drunk or inebriated!

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