The thumbs-up is a universally positive sign in the west, denoting approval, enjoyment, gratitude, and more. On social media, the thumbs-up symbol has come so closely to mean "like" that, like the long-defunct floppy disc that represents "save," you might find yourself forgetting altogether what the icon originally represents.

As noted by NBC News, the gesture is believed to have originated in Ancient Rome, when audiences at the colosseum would use the gesture to signal that they had seen enough of a fighter — though not in a good way. However, over time the symbol has evolved to become synonymous with positivity, with certain jovial celebrities, such as ex-Beatle Paul McCartney, known for being habitual thumb-uppers (above).

But McCartney better check himself next time he's in the Middle East, where, according to Business Insider, the symbol has the same meaning that displaying a middle finger does in the west. In 2003, Slate reported that American troops in Iraq were repeatedly given the thumbs-up symbol by Iraqi civilians, which, of course, they misinterpreted as a sign of support.

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