• Applause dates back to ancient times.
• In Western culture, clapping originated in the ancient Roman theatre.
• From there, Roman politicians used the applause to gauge their popularity and approval based on how much applause they received.
• Applause w...

• One theory claims that on Oct 2, 1977, the high five was created when Los Angeles Dodger Glenn Burke thrust his hand over his head to greet another Dodgers player, Dusty Baker, and Baker smacked it.
• The other theory is that basketball player Derek Smith invented the high five durin...

The hand signs' meaning is believed to date back to ancient times, with the Greeks using it when referencing male genitalia. The Romans called it the "shameless finger."

Its earliest documentation in the U.S. was in 1886 when a pitcher for the Boston Beaneaters " flipped t...

The original gesture was an ancient pagan custom that demanded two people to cross fingers - the idea that wishes would be kept safe until they came true.

Early Christians often crossed their fingers when faced with persecution to invoke the power of Christ's crucifixion o...

One of the earliest depictions in art of a handshake is from the 9th century B.C. Homer mentioned a handshake in The Odyssey a century or two later.

• One theory about the origin of the handshake suggests that showing someone your empty, weapon-free palm portrays peace...

In ancient Rome, referees originally used these gestures to decide if a gladiator should live or die. However, thumbs up meant death, and pressing your thumb down on your fist meant life.

In 1917, in a book titled Over the Top, Arthur Guy Empey explained that U.K. soldiers...

The "V" sign can be used as a symbol of peace or an insult. In the U.K., if your palm is facing yourself while you're making the sign, it's the same as using your middle finger in the U.S. If your palm is facing outward, the sign simply means the number two.

During WWII, t...