2327: 'To Pit Against' & 'Cockpit' May 2, 2021

Although in many places cock-fighting is illegal now, in medieval Europe one might find them in any small town even. This had led to a number of phrases in English, including the phrase "to be pitted (up) against", but also the more innocuous term 'cockpit'. This was eventually used for nautical purposes, and later for cars and planes, with the original sense being a tight, enclosed space.