On the R4 programme they said that's become the folklore of the meaning but there is no

historical evidence to support it. It's much more likely to have come from a 'bucket' being a 500 year old dialect word for beam. A person would string their animal up to this 'bucket' before slaughtering it and the animal would kick it as it was dying.

On the programme they described this as an 'iconic action' which often becomes an idiom. Other egs are 'bury the hatchet (native American peace gesture) and 'throw in the towel' (from boxing).

It's an interesting listen. It was mainly about how modern idioms have entered the language. 'Park the bus' for example is from where Mourinho translated a Portuguese idiom.

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Posted By: Bravo win or die, Feb 15, 09:51:05