To Steal Someone's Thunder

Younger siblings are notorious for blurting out the punch line just as big brother or sister has built up to the climax of the story. In such an instance, the older child might scream, “Stop stealing my thunder.”

Those who heard the phrase might assume it referred to some Greek or Norse myth similar to the tale of Prometheus stealing fire from the gods. But actually the phrase origin has nothing to do with gods. The idiom refers to play productions.

In modern plays or films, sound effects – dogs barking, stairs creaking, horns honking, thunder rolling – are added electronically. But in pre-ele...