Saved by the Bell Comes From Boxing
A bell is a hollow metal object that rings when struck. The famous phrase about it has a much-repeated false origin.
A bell is a hollow metal object, usually cup-shaped, that rings when struck. *Saved by the bell* is widely explained as coming from a bell attached to a coffin in case of premature burial. That story is false: the phrase is boxing slang from the 1890s, meaning a fighter rescued from a count by the end of the round. Safety coffins did exist, but the idiom is not from them. *Ring a bell* means to sound familiar, and *bell the cat* means to take a dangerous task on behalf of others.
- A ringing instrument. *A church bell.*
- Saved by the bell — rescued in time. *Saved by the bell.*
- Ring a bell — sound familiar. *That rings a bell.*
- Bell the cat — take a risk for others. *Bell the cat.*
- Old English — *belle*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | bell | A bell. |
| Plural | bells | Bells. |
| Verb | bell | Bell the cat. |
| Agent | bellringer | A bellringer. |
| Old English | belle | A bell. |
- The church bell rang at six.Sound.
- The name rings a bell.Idiom.
- The phrase is boxing slang.Origin.
Bell idioms
- Saved by the bell — boxing, from the 1890s
- Ring a bell — trigger a memory
- Bell the cat — from Aesop, taking on a dangerous task
- Clear as a bell — perfectly audible or understandable
- With bells on — enthusiastically
Old English *belle*, of Germanic origin, probably related to a verb meaning to roar or bellow.
Does saved by the bell come from safety coffins?
No. The phrase is boxing slang from the 1890s. Safety coffins were real but had nothing to do with the idiom.
What does bell the cat mean?
To take on a dangerous task for the common good, from Aesop's fable where mice agree a bell should be put on the cat but none will do it.