I think that one is interesting because it changes the meaning for me from what I always thought it meant.
I thought it spoke of a "quick-draw gone bad" - a stupid or careless mistake that caused you to lose.... Not a deliberate self-destructive act to escape a fight!
How many of you knew this origin? - am I the only one that is new around here?
it changes the meaning for me from what I always thought it meant.Here too... I had always taken it to refer to doing something stupid and hurting your cause. The origin made perfect sense once I heard it... and it does change the meaning of the phrase. Of course, the phrase has accumulated a colloquial meaning over the years too, which has changed it from it's origin.