Idioms formed by phono-semantic matching (PSM) are usually foreign expressions transliterated into common target language words. They represent code-switching that is so well disguised that usually the speaker / writer and listener / reader (and, it seems, most linguists ;-) are not aware that a switch has occurred. A substantial number of well-known English idioms have been formed via PSM. That is, a word or phrase in a target language that is a near phonetic match for a word or phrase in a source language takes the meaning of the source expression. After the idiom is formed, it may be translated into other languages. Biblical idioms, e.g., escape by/with the skin of my teeth (Job 19:20) have been translated to many languages. The American usage of "(he has an) axe to grind" (ulterior motive) is a pun on German acht(ung) Grund = pay attention, be aware, beware + basis, reason, grounds. Compare German Beweggrund = motive. The "bell" in "does that ring a bell?" is the translation of French cloche or German Glock as a pun on Latin recollect(um). You can see my thoughts on this topic by downloading these files from my Dropbox. https://www.dropbox.com/s/0x59a0ncbumiaax/Idioms.docx?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/am5qcg97ef4h77n/Idioms_via_PSM.pptx?dl=0

I always wondered how the phrase "pull one's face" got into its meaning. Can anybody tell me how it got its meaning?