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I cannot vouch for the
veracity of the content on this page, but it should be fun to impress friends, relatives and associates with
how these phrases originated. I welcome any comment or additional phrases, and how they originated, from anyone who
cares to enlighten me and the readers of this page. Please feel free to submit phrases, and their history, to themitchman@myway.com.
PAGE CONTENTS:
Origins of Popular Phrases
Slang From Various Decades
Origins of Popular Phrases
In George Washington's days, there were no cameras. One's image was either sculpted or painted. Some paintings of
George Washington showed him standing behind a desk with one arm behind his back while others showed both legs and both arms.
Prices charged by painters were not based on how many people were to be painted, but by how many limbs were to be painted.
Arms and legs are 'limbs,' therefore painting them would cost the buyer more. Hence the expression, 'Okay, but
it'll cost you an arm and a leg.' (Artists know hands and arms are more difficult to paint)
Back in George
Washington's day, women kept their hair covered, while men shaved their heads (because of lice and bugs) and wore wigs.
Wealthy men could afford good wigs made from wool. They couldn't wash the wigs, so to clean them they would carve out
a loaf of bread, put the wig in the shell, and bake it for 30 minutes. The heat would make the wig big and fluffy, hence the
term 'big wig.' Today we often use the term 'here comes the Big Wig' because someone appears to be or is powerful
and wealthy.
In the late 1700's, many houses consisted of a large room with only one chair. Commonly, a long
wide board folded down from the wall, and was used for dining. The 'head of the household' always sat in the chair
while everyone else ate sitting on the floor. Occasionally a guest, who was usually a man, would be invited to sit in this
chair during a meal. To sit in the chair meant you were important and in charge. They called the one sitting in the chair
the 'chair man.' Today in business, we use the expression or title 'Chairman' or 'Chairman of the Board..'
Personal hygiene left much room for improvement. As a result, many women and men had developed acne scars by adulthood.
The women would spread bee's wax over their facial skin to smooth o ut their complexions. When they were speaking to each
other, if a woman began to stare at another woman's face she was told, 'mind your own bee's wax.' Should the
woman smile, the wax would crack, hence the term 'crack a smile'. In addition, when they sat too close to the fire,
the wax would melt . . . Therefore, the expression 'losing face.'
Ladies wore corsets, which would lace
up in the front. A proper and dignified woman, as in 'straight laced'. . Wore a tightly tied lace.
Common
entertainment included playing cards. However, there was a tax levied when purchasing playing cards but only applicable to
the 'Ace of Spades.' To avoid paying the tax, people would purchase 51 cards instead. Yet, since most games require
52 cards, these people were thought to be stupid or dumb because they weren't 'playing with a full deck.'
Early politicians required feedback from the public to determine what the people considered important. Since there were
no telephones, TV's or radios, the politicians sent their assistants to local taverns, pubs, and bars. They were told
to 'go sip some ale' and listen to peo ple's conversations and political concerns.. Many assistants were dispatched
at different times 'You go sip here' and 'You go sip there.' The two words 'go sip' were eventually
combined when referring to the local opinion and, thus we have the term 'gossip.'
At local taverns, pubs,
and bars, people drank from pint and quart-sized containers. A bar maid's job was to keep an eye on the customers and
keep the drinks coming. She had to pay close attention and remember who was drinking in 'pints' and who was drinking
in 'quarts,' hence the term 'minding your'P's and Q's '
A big "Thank You!"
to Wendy, for sending these little gems.
The phrase "sleep tight" originated when mattresses were set
upon ropes woven through the bed frame. To remedy sagging ropes, one would use a bed key to
tighten the rope.
The term "dog days" has nothing to do with dogs. It dates back to Roman
times, when it was believed that Sirius, the Dog Star, added its heat to that of the sun from July 3 to August 11, creating
exceptionally high temperatures. The Romans called the period dies canicular, or "days
of thedog."
The term "honeymoon" is derived from the Babylonians
who declared mead, a honey-flavored wine, the official wedding drink, stipulating that the bride's parents be required
to keep the groom supplied with the drink for the month following the wedding. The term, "It's all fun and games until
someone loses an eye" is from Ancient Rome. The only rule during wrestling matches was, "No eye gouging." Everything
else was allowed, but the only way to be disqualified is to poke someone's eye out.
In 1945 a computer at Harvard
malfunctioned and Grace Hopper, who was working on the computer, investigated,
found a moth in one of the circuits and removed it. Ever since, when something goes wrong with a computer, it is said to have
a bug in it.
In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be.
They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. To wear your heart on your sleeve now means that it is easy for
other people to know how you are feeling.
"Make no bones about it" - A form of this
expression was used as early as 1459, to mean to have no difficulty. It seems evident that the allusion is to the actual occurrence
of bones in stews or soup. Soup without bones would offer no difficulty, and accordingly one would have no hesitation in swallowing
soup with no bones.
"To throw in the towel/sponge" - In its original form, to throw up the sponge, this appears in "The
Slang Dictionary" (1860). The reference is to the sponges used to cleanse combatants' faces at prize fights. One
contestant's manager throwing in the sponge would signal that as that side had had enough the sponge was no longer required.
In recent years, towels have been substituted for sponges at fights, and consequently in the expression too.
"Fly
off the handle" - Refers to axe heads, which, in the days before mass merchandising, were sometimes fastened poorly to
their handles. If one flew off while being used, it was a dangerous situation ... with unpredictable results.
"Pull
the wool over someone's eyes" - Goes back to the days when all gentlemen wore powdered wigs like the ones still worn
by the judges in British courts. The word wool was then a popular, joking term for hair ... The expression 'pull the wool
over his eyes' came from the practice of tilting a man's wig over his eyes, so he couldn't see what was going
on.
"Pay through the nose" - Comes from the ninth-century Ireland.
When the Danes conquered the Irish, they imposed an exorbitant Nose Tax on the island's inhabitants. They took a census
(by counting noses) and levied oppressive sums on their victims, forcing them to pay by threatening to have their noses
actually slit.
"Caught red-handed" - For hundreds of years, stealing and butchering another person's
livestock was a common crime.But it was hard to prove unless the thief was caught with
a dead animal ... and blood on
his hands.
Copyright 2009 by NextEra Media. All rights reserved. Feel free to forward this, in its entirety, to others.
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Here's a provocative one:
In the heyday of sailing ships,
all war ships and many freighters carried iron cannons. Those cannons fired round iron cannon balls. It was necessary to keep
a good supply near the cannon. However, how to prevent them from rolling about the deck? The best storage method devised was
a square-based pyramid with one ball on top, resting on four resting on nine, which rested on sixteen. Thus, a supply of 30
cannon balls could be stacked in a small area right next to the cannon. There was only one problem...how to prevent the bottom
layer from sliding or rolling from under the others. The solution was a metal plate called a 'Monkey' with 16 round
indentations.
However, if this plate were made of iron, the iron balls would quickly rust to it. The solution to
the rusting problem was to make 'Brass Monkeys.' Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much faster
than iron when chilled.
Consequently, when the temperature dropped too far, the brass indentations would shrink
so much that the iron cannonballs would come right off the monkey. Thus, it was quite literally, 'Cold enough to freeze
the balls off a brass monkey.' (All this time, you thought that was an improper expression, didn't you.)
Another big "Thank You!" to Wendy for sending this one.
Slang From Various Decades
1920s
23 skiddoo -- to get going; move along; leave; or scram
The cat's pajamas -- the best; the height of excellence
Gams -- legs
The real McCoy -- sincere; genuine; the real thing
Hotsy-totsy -- perfect
The bee's knees
-- excellent; outstanding
1930s
I'll be a monkey's uncle -- sign of disbelief; I don't believe it!
Gig -- a job
Girl
Friday -- a secretary or female assistant
Skivvies -- men's underwear
1940s
Blockbuster -- a huge success
Keeping up with the Joneses -- competing to have a lifestyle or socioeconomic status
comparable to one's neighbors
Cool -- excellent; clever; sophisticated; fashionable; or enjoyable
Sitting in
the hot seat -- in a highly uncomfortable or embarrassing situation
1950s
Boo-boo -- a mistake;
a wound
Hi-fi -- high fidelity; a record player or turntable
Hipster -- an innovative and trendy person
1960s
Daddy-o -- a man; used to address a hipster or beatnik
Groovy -- cool; hip; excellent
Hippie -- derived from hipster; a young adult who rebelled against established institutions, criticized middle-class values,
opposed the Vietnam War, and promoted sexual freedom
The Man -- a person of authority;
a group in power
1970s
Catch you on the flip side -- see you later
Dig it -- to like
or understand something
Get down/Boogie -- dance
Mind-blowing -- unbelievable; originally an expression for the
effects of hallucinogenic drugs
Pump iron -- lift weights
Workaholic -- a person who works too much or is addicted
to his or her job
1980s
Bodacious -- beautiful
Chillin' -- relaxing
Dweeb --
a nerd; someone who is not cool
Fly -- cool; very hip
Gag me with a spoon -- disgusting
Gnarly -- exceptional;
very cool
Preppy -- one who dresses in designer clothing and has a neat, clean-cut appearance
Wicked -- excellent;
great
Yuppie -- Young Urban Professional; a college-educated person with a well-paying job who lives near a big city;
often associated with a materialistic and superficial personality
1990s
Diss -- show disrespect
Get jiggy -- dance; flirt
Homey/Homeboy -- a friend
or buddy
My bad -- my mistake
Phat -- cool or hip; highly attractive; hot
Wassup? -- What's up?; How are
you?
Word -- yes; I agree
2000s
Barney Bag -- a gigantic purse
Newbie -- a newcomer; someone who is inexperienced
Peeps -- friends; people
Rents -- parents
Sweet -- beyond cool
source: howstuffworks.com Copyright 2009 by NextEra Media. All rights reserved.
Feel free to forward this, in its entirety, to others.
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