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Can the chronological occurrence of expressions be roughly matched to the chronology of technology?
For example, some expressions such as "red as a beet" make sense in the context of early technology - you need adequate agriculture to make beets a common food item. Other expressions such as "dead as door nail" assume a (perhaps) later technology - the technology for forging nails. If I say "Ned short circuited our plans", I'm alluding to the technology of electricity, which comes after the technology of forging nails.
For example, some expressions such as "red as a beet" make sense in the context of early technology - you need adequate agriculture to make beets a common food item. Other expressions such as "dead as door nail" assume a (perhaps) later technology - the technology for forging nails. If I say "Ned short circuited our plans", I'm alluding to the technology of electricity, which comes after the technology of forging nails.