Common Expression origins...

pinno

Post a common expression here and maybe the more knowlegeable bods can explain their origin.

For example:

The origin of the expression 'Between the devil and the deep blue sea' is because of the longest plank on a boat. In days of old, the longest plank on a small vessel was a devil to caulk (seal) with twisted rope and tar. So if you were between the devil and the deep blue sea...

What I want to know is, How much exactly, is 'more than you can shake a stick at' ?!

How and where the f*cking f*ck did that one come from?

nweststeyn

clean as a whistle?

I've only seen dirty whistles in my time.

Anonymous

ka-pow
http://www.quora.com/Where-does-the-phr ... -originate

rick_chasey

pinarello001 wrote:

..

What I want to know is, How much exactly, is 'more than you can shake a stick at' ?!

How and where the f*cking f*ck did that one come from?

No-one knows the etymology for that phrase.

snoopsmydogg

Its recorded history began — at least, so far as the Oxford English Dictionary knows — in the issue of the Lancaster Journal of Pennsylvania dated 5 August 1818: “We have in Lancaster as many Taverns as you can shake a stick at”. Another early example is from Davy Crockett’s Tour to the North and Down East of 1835: “This was a temperance house, and there was nothing to treat a friend that was worth shaking a stick at”. A little later, in A Book of Vagaries by James K Paulding of 1868, this appears: “The roistering barbecue fellow swore he was equal to any man you could shake a stick at”.

Peddle Up!

DesB3rd

Does anyone want to suggest a phase that doesn't make complete sense (i.e. has obvious origins; for example there are few limitations on what I can shake a stick at and both the devil and the deeps are ropey options - and rhyme) and have retrospectively applied, albeit imaginative, explanations, like the caulking thing.

Redhog14

There plenty of things that travel fast and frankly when I chuck the dog sh!t over the garden wall I am not that impressed with its velocity so - Why do things go "faster than sh!t off a shovel"?

pinno

Redhog14 wrote:

There plenty of things that travel fast and frankly when I chuck the dog sh!t over the garden wall I am not that impressed with its velocity so - Why do things go "faster than sh!t off a shovel"?

If I was your neighbour, I would send it back with plenty of velocity.

Have you tried putting a bit of oil on the shovel ?

Its raining cats and dogs...

BigJimmyB

Raining cats and dogs I believe came from when folks used to keep animals on the rooves of low (thatched) houses.

In heavy rain the thatch became slippery and the cats and dogs fell off the roof.

Not a phrase as such, but THRESHOLD?

Also, why do we say speed UP and slow DOWN?

Redhog14

pinarello001 wrote:

Redhog14 wrote:

There plenty of things that travel fast and frankly when I chuck the dog sh!t over the garden wall I am not that impressed with its velocity so - Why do things go "faster than sh!t off a shovel"?

If I was your neighbour, I would send it back with plenty of velocity.

It goes over the wall into a field not someone's garden!

Please answer the question... that's my impression of Jeremy Paxman btw.

Frank the tank

If a structure burns down some how it's been "raised to the ground". On what was it built on in the first place? :?

CiB

It's razed, not raised.

Frank the tank

CiB wrote:

It's razed, not raised.

I'll get me dictionary.

capt_slog

BigJimmyB wrote:

Raining cats and dogs I believe came from when folks used to keep animals on the rooves of low (thatched) houses.

In heavy rain the thatch became slippery and the cats and dogs fell off the roof.

Not a phrase as such, but THRESHOLD?

Also, why do we say speed UP and slow DOWN?

Theshold: In days of old they used to put rushes or straw on the floor like we now have carpets (or cardboard depending where you live). This was "thresh", to stop it mixing with the street muck, you had a raised cill at the door, and this holds back the thresh, hence threshold.

OffTheBackAdam

As thick as two short planks.
Now, why are short planks thicker than long ones?

Smokin Joe

"Freeze the balls off a brass monkey" should actually be "Freeze the balls ON a brass monkey", a monkey being a pyramid of brass cannon balls on a gun ship. In sub zero conditions these would freeze together, hence the phrase.

Nothing at all to do with a primates bollocks dropping off because they froze solid and broke.

pinno

Frank the tank wrote:

If a structure burns down some how it's been "raised to the ground". On what was it built on in the first place? :?

That reminds me of my Uncle Freddy. He has two wooden legs poor bloke, but despite this he managed to get a job as a security guard at a furniture warehouse. He sent me a very sad letter giving account of a fire they had at this warehouse. The warehouse was saved but poor Freddy was burnt to the ground...

See: its an ill wind that blows nobody any good.

I'll get my coat

thecrofter

Smokin Joe wrote:

"Freeze the balls off a brass monkey" should actually be "Freeze the balls ON a brass monkey", a monkey being a pyramid of brass cannon balls on a gun ship. In sub zero conditions these would freeze together, hence the phrase.

Nothing at all to do with a primates bollocks dropping off because they froze solid and broke.

But the brass would contract more than the iron balls which would then fall off the holder.

briantrumpet

BigJimmyB wrote:

Also, why do we say speed UP and slow DOWN?

You can also slow UP, but not sideways.

BelgianBeerGeek

thecrofter wrote:

Smokin Joe wrote:

"Freeze the balls off a brass monkey" should actually be "Freeze the balls ON a brass monkey", a monkey being a pyramid of brass cannon balls on a gun ship. In sub zero conditions these would freeze together, hence the phrase.

Nothing at all to do with a primates bollocks dropping off because they froze solid and broke.

But the brass would contract more than the iron balls which would then fall off the holder.

Yep. The stated origin is almost certainly total bow-locks. There is no evidence that the holders of cannon balls were made of brass. Why would they be? Brass is an expensive material, they would be made of wood.

thecrofter

BelgianBeerGeek wrote:

thecrofter wrote:

Smokin Joe wrote:

"Freeze the balls off a brass monkey" should actually be "Freeze the balls ON a brass monkey", a monkey being a pyramid of brass cannon balls on a gun ship. In sub zero conditions these would freeze together, hence the phrase.

Nothing at all to do with a primates bollocks dropping off because they froze solid and broke.

But the brass would contract more than the iron balls which would then fall off the holder.

Yep. The stated origin is almost certainly total bow-locks. There is no evidence that the holders of cannon balls were made of brass. Why would they be? Brass is an expensive material, they would be made of wood.

Why let the truth get in the way of a good story tho'

solosuperia

Smokin Joe wrote:

"Why let the truth get in the way of a good story tho'

Do you go down my local pub?...............

We have a guy down our local, academic certainly not.
He is the best story teller ever, we have heard the stories umpteen times but he has us enthralled.
How does that happen?
I guess factually they are a mite lacking but ............. Who's round is it?

BelgianBeerGeek

DesB3rd wrote:

Does anyone want to suggest a phase that doesn't make complete sense (i.e. has obvious origins; for example there are few limitations on what I can shake a stick at and both the devil and the deeps are ropey options - and rhyme) and have retrospectively applied, albeit imaginative, explanations, like the caulking thing.

Yes. The brass monkey thing.

briantrumpet

This is quite a good site. I came across it looking up 'spitting image' which, more than once, I have had people try to correct me on to 'splitting image'. The site does a rather good dissection of that, as well as brass monkey, posh, etc.