|
10-29-2003, 02:47 PM
|
#1 (permalink) |
|
Insane
Location: In a Caddy Shack
|
Where does that saying come from?
I know we have had this thread discussions before, but where do phrases like "to coin a phrase" come from. Why do you "coin" a phrase?
Another expression "It's raining cats and dogs". Someone please explain. Please add other expressions and how it came about.
__________________
------------------------------------------------ Tip: Never do your shoe lace up in a revolving door |
|
|
10-29-2003, 02:59 PM
|
#2 (permalink) |
|
Sir, I have a plan...
Location: 38S NC20943324
|
SHIT
When manure was shipped as fertilizer in Great Britain it would rot and spoil if exposed to the moisture of a ships bilges. The containers were marked Ship High In Transit, hence Shit. PS I have not verified this, I'll check the OED later tonight... EDIT: I was wrong, shit is simply a word from the germanic root, oh well.
__________________
Fortunato became immured to the sound of the trowel after a while.
Last edited by debaser; 10-29-2003 at 03:30 PM.. |
|
|
|
10-29-2003, 03:01 PM
|
#3 (permalink) |
|
Sir, I have a plan...
Location: 38S NC20943324
|
Another good one:
"He bought the farm" In WW2, if you were killed, the government would pay of your mortgage for your wife, therefore a person who died was said to have bought the farm.
__________________
Fortunato became immured to the sound of the trowel after a while.
|
|
|
|
10-29-2003, 03:08 PM
|
#4 (permalink) |
|
Desert Rat
Location: Arizona
|
You can find answers to just about every one of those sayings at this guys website: http://www.quinion.com/words/
__________________
"This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is it vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished, as the once vital voice of the verisimilitude now venerates what they once vilified. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose vis-à-vis an introduction, and so it is my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V." - V |
|
|
|
|
