"Saved by the bell" is a well-known expression in the U.S. We use it when we're relieved we don't have to do something because time's up, or the bell has rung.
It's also used in boxing, where a bell ringing means the end of the round, saving the boxer from potentially getting knocked out.
Bells ring to let us know school's over, and once that bell rings, you're free to go. You no longer have to follow the rules of that particular class, and if you're doing something you dislike, you can stop.
But where did we get that saying? Many years ago, when sickness swept Europe, people died by the dozens. However, sometimes mistakes were made.
People were buried when they were actually still alive, so people burying them started tying strings around the dead bodies, which they connected to a bell above the ground.
That way, if they were still alive, they could pull the string and ring the bell.
They were literally "saved by the bell."
"Saved by the bell" is a well-known expression in the U.S.
It's used when someone is relieved they don't have to do something, because the bell rang, telling them the time is up.
It's also used in boxing, where a bell ringing means the end of the round. That can save the boxer from taking any more hits.
Bells ring to let us know school is over, and once that bell rings, you're free to go. You don't have to follow the rules of that particular class anymore, and if you're doing something you don't like, you can stop.
But where did that saying come from?
A long time ago, many people in Europe were dying from sickness. There were lots of burials during that time.
However, sometimes mistakes were made. People were buried when they were actually still alive. To fix this, they started tying strings around the dead bodies.
Then, they took the string and connected it from the coffin to a bell above the ground. So, if a person was buried and they were still alive, they could pull the string and ring the bell.
【Saved By the Bell の意味】ネイティブが使う英語慣用句の語源
