Old sayings

Jane · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 5:45 pm Post subject: Old sayings

Have you ever wondered where do some of these come from?

To start off - Big Wig

As incredible as it sounds, in olden days men and women took baths only twice a year! (May and October).
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. The wigs couldn't be washed so to clean them, they could 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

_________________
Mad on Genealogy or just plain mad? :)

SeaCopRimmer · Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2006 3:24 pm Post subject:

HOBSON'S CHOICE?
Hobson owned stables in Cambridge and the university students were frequently hiring horses from Mr Hobson (to go home or visit friends, etc); in order to make sure his horses were not over-worked/ridden, Hobson moved them around the stables - anybody coming in to hire a horse had to take the one nearest the door - hence Hobson's choice!

_________________
I may be a shrimp but I'm BIG on family history

admin · Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2006 3:26 pm Post subject:

Never thought about these before - interesting! Smile

Jane · Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2006 3:47 pm Post subject:

IN THE DOGHOUSE

This expression is a railroad term dating back to the era of steam locomotives. The railroad unions mandated that a head-end (front of the train) brakeman be so positioned. However, there was no room for another person in the engine cab (which housed the engineer and fireman). The railroads then built a small windowed shelter on top of the engine tender (where the coal and water was stored) behind the engine. It was called a doghouse since it was small, cramped, smoky, cold and generally miserable. Thus, the expression 'he's in the doghouse' referred to the brakeman in his uncomfortable moving shack. ''

_________________
Mad on Genealogy or just plain mad? :)

admin · Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2006 3:54 pm Post subject:

Have you got a book on these? Laughing

Jane · Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2006 7:49 pm Post subject:

My supply is a secret Laughing

but plenty more to still to come

_________________
Mad on Genealogy or just plain mad? :)

Jane · Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2006 9:43 pm Post subject:

BOB’S YOUR UNCLE :

In 1885 Robert (Bob) Cecil, the British Prime Minister caused an outcry when he appointed his far from popular nephew, Arthur Balfour, as Secretary of State for Scotland, giving us a phrase covering something to one's advantage because of special circumstances

_________________
Mad on Genealogy or just plain mad? :)

Jane · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 4:32 pm Post subject:

Haven't put any new ones on for a few days so here are some more

HUMBLE PIE
Servants at 'umble pie' which was made from deer waste while their Master and his guests had the better cuts of meat.

Origin: Humble pie is a derivation of umble pie and refers to the intestines of an animal especially when used for food. The original umbles were the innards of the deer: the liver, heart, entrails and other second-class bits. It was common practice in medieval times to serve a pie made of these parts of the animal to the servants and others that would be sitting at the lower tables in the lord's hall.
To eat humble pie is to accept your position at the lower table.

_________________
Mad on Genealogy or just plain mad? :)

Jane · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 4:33 pm Post subject: Frog in your throat

FROG IN YOUR THROAT

Medieval physicians believed that the secretions of a frog could cure a cough if they were coated on the throat of the patient. The frog was placed in the mouth of the sufferer and remained there until the physician decided that the treatment was complete.

_________________
Mad on Genealogy or just plain mad? :)

admin · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 4:34 pm Post subject:

Thats disgusting!!!

SeaCopRimmer · Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 8:13 am Post subject:

BLACK MARIA - The police van used to transport prisoners; named after Maria Lee, a Boston negress, who kept a lodging house, she was so big that when the police required help they would call for "Black Maria" (who soon collared the miscreant and led him/her to the lock-up). The term was definitely in use in Boston in the 1840's!

_________________
I may be a shrimp but I'm BIG on family history

Jane · Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 1:05 pm Post subject:

LOAD OF COBBLERS
Something is rubbish or nonsense.

Origin: The origin is in rhyming slang for 'cobbler's awl'. An awl is a pointed tool for making holes in things; it is an essential part of a shoemaker's (cobbler's) kit. The rhyming linked 'cobbler's awls' with 'balls', ie slang for testicles. 'Cobblers' then came to be used in the same way as 'balls'. 'A load of old cobblers' is an extension of the saying. ''

_________________
Mad on Genealogy or just plain mad? :)

Jane · Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 1:06 pm Post subject:

USE YOUR LOAF

The phrase comes from the Napoleonic wars when British sharpshooters placed their hat on top of a loaf of bread in order to deceive the opposite numbers on the French side of the front line. By using his loaf, the British soldier could deflect enemy fire.

_________________
Mad on Genealogy or just plain mad? :)

Jane · Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 1:06 pm Post subject:

TO TURN A BLIND EYE:

This saying reportedly goes back to the days of Admiral Lord Nelson.
During the Battle of Trafalgar one of Nelsons' advisors pointed out something that the French ships were doing that posed a threat to the British fleet. Nelson, not wishing to have to change his battle plan, put his telescope to his blind eye and claimed that he could see nothing untoward happening. So if we choose to ignore something we ' turn a blind eye ' to it”

_________________
Mad on Genealogy or just plain mad? :)

Jane · Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2006 5:29 pm Post subject:

A bit of hows your father

Harry Tate (1872-1940) was a music hall performer. One of his sketches had him on a couch trying to take advantage of his girlfriend but, whenever the young lady was about to yield to him, her father would appear and Tate would nonchalantly lean back and enquire: "Tell me, how is your father?"

_________________
Mad on Genealogy or just plain mad? :)

	nmfhssouthport.myfreeforum.org Forum Index -> Want to chat	All times are GMT Goto page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 Next
Page 1 of 7