Why do we say that we "do not have or no longer have a radish"
To be without a radish. This expression means to have no more money, to be without a penny, even to the point of being in deep misery. Everyone knows it so common it is.
But why is radish associated with lack of money?
THE radishes used to be inexpensive and often offered to patrons of taverns. Radishes were given to customers to stimulate thirst and make them consume more.
Moreover, the small vegetables by their size represented a negligible quantity, each one was thus worth a small sum of money. So “I won't give you a radish” to say I won't give you anything, not even a worthless thing.
Finally there would be an analogy between the round shape of the radish and that of a coin. Radish is therefore only synonymous with money in negative constructions.
That's it for the little story. They must have been very spicy, the radishes of the bistros of the time to stir up the thirst...
