The phrase “in your blood” refers to a trait that someone has because a family member has it. It can be positive or negative and implies that the trait is permanent. It applies to physical, personality, and character traits, but it is not always accurate.
Generally, if someone tells you that something is “in your blood,” that person means that you have, or probably do, a particular trait because someone else in your family does. Usually, the family member is older, such as a parent or grandparent. This trait can be anything from athletic prowess to good business acumen. Since the trait can be either positive or negative, saying it’s “in your blood” can act as a compliment or an insult. Often, this saying carries the unspoken implication that whatever the trait is, it is immutable or the likelihood that you can or will change it is slim.
Sometimes, people use the saying “in your blood” in a positive and flattering way. For example, someone might say that the daughter of a successful entrepreneur will eventually be successful with her own business because she is in her blood. Even if this person has not shown any inclination or ability to own a business in the past, some people will think that she will be successful in running a business because her father is successful in running a business.
Other times, people may use the idiom “in your blood” to indicate the presence of a negative trait shared by two people. For example, people might say that the son of a convicted felon is likely to go to prison himself because it’s in his blood. People expect their son to follow in their father’s footsteps, regardless of whether the reasons are related to nature or upbringing.
Often people associate the idiom “in your blood” with permanence, regardless of the positive or negative nature of the trait. The entrepreneur’s daughter may not impress investors during the first year of her start-up, but the likelihood that she will eventually succeed seems certain because she’s in her blood. Similarly, the son of the convicted felon may only have a registered speeding ticket, but people may expect him to go to jail soon because it is in his blood.
Similar to physical traits, personality and character traits are often shared by family members. This makes it easy to see why “in your blood” rings true for some people. However, like other idiomatic expressions, there are situations where this applies and situations where it doesn’t. When using this saying, a speaker can only point to similarities of traits, or possibilities of similarities, with any real confidence. It is not possible to say that something is in another’s blood and expect the claim to be treated as fact.
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