There are some proverbs and idioms that make up the richness of every language. Our language is one of the richest languages on this subject. The proverbs and idioms we use often gain a new meaning by being used differently from the word meaning. One of them is the phrase “explode opium”. We use the phrase pop opium often, especially in the early morning hours when we see grumpy people.
The first appearance of the phrase “explode opium” dates back to the Ottoman period. This idiom, which we use today mostly for people who are moody in the early hours of the morning, was used for opium addicts who were fasting when it first emerged. The story of its emergence is one of the most interesting events in our oral history. Let’s take a closer look at what it means to burst opium, and let’s look at the details of the story in the meaning of this idiom.
What does the phrase “explode opium” mean?
Earlier in the day ‘I haven’t had opium yet.’ or ‘The opium hasn’t exploded yet.’ The phrase that we often use in the form of bursting opium; It is an expression used for angry and grumpy people who have just woken up, haven’t been able to wake up, and haven’t been able to sleep.
We can use the phrase “popping opium” for ourselves as well as for others. The point to be considered while using this idiom is that the moodiness is experienced in the morning hours. In other words, for a person who is constantly grumpy and angry, it is not a correct usage to say that his opium has not exploded.
The interesting story of the idiom bursting opium:
During the Ottoman Empire, in the estimated 15th century, all Muslims fasted during Ramadan, as it is today. Eating and drinking is prohibited during fasting. Although they somehow withstood thirst and hunger, those with much worse habits had different problems. At that time, drugs called opium were quite common among the people.
Opium addicts who were fasting found a solution because they could not stay away from their habits all day long. They placed the opium in a kind of capsule and swallowed it like medicine with water at sahur. With the effect of stomach acid, this capsule exploded in the morning hours and the opium in it first mixed into the stomach and then into the blood, meeting the needs of the addict.
Since the capsule, which was swallowed by putting opium in, was handmade, it was not clear when it would dissolve. The addicts who could not take their opium, especially in the early morning, were quite angry because the opium capsules had not yet exploded. When the public sees these people, they say, ‘The opium hasn’t exploded yet.’ he was saying.
How did popping opium become an idiom?
Afyonkarahisar, giving its name to our city, opium is obtained from poppy grown in this region and regions with similar climates. The poppy we use in food is the dried seed of this plant. To obtain opium, the fresh poppy plant is scratched with a knife and the white liquid is extracted. When this liquid comes into contact with air, it takes the consistency of paste and is used as a drug called opium. Opium is also the raw material of many drugs.
It may come as a surprise that drugs are so common among the people and even become the subject of a phrase. But remember, even cigarettes, which are proven to be lethal today, were once recommended by doctors. When this drug effect of opium emerged over time, strict prohibitions were introduced at the beginning of the 17th century.
Opium was so widespread that there are cases in some court records where opium addicts said their opium did not explode as a mitigating factor for their crimes. Of course, this situation changed after the prohibitions and the number of opium addicts gradually decreased. However, the memory of the bad tempers of those whose opium did not explode has remained and has given us an idiom today.
We talked about its meaning and story by answering the question of what it means to burst opium, which has remained an idiom today as a memory from the opium addicts living in the Ottoman Empire. Knowing that all the idioms and proverbs we use today have such stories, once again reveals the richness of our culture and language.
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