I always imagined "beyond the pale" was an aviation term, as in so far away as to disappear from view - behind the sky, if you will.
That is one phrase I never bothered looking into before
It's scary how many incorrect notions we might be carrying around.
"Rattle off" is merely descriptive of saying many sounds quickly, as rattle means that. "Rattle on" and "rattle off" are similar. "Rattle on" would be a prolonged fast speaking similar to a horse race narration or auction or dictation. "Rattle off" is more a brief period of saying something quickly like if you tell someone your address or phone number.
Rattle the device and rattle the speaking style are both based on rattle being the name for any short sounds - neither is named after the other.
The next two I have I'm a little hazy on. The first deals with "burning the candle at both ends".
I think what I remember being told was that when company came to visit a villager's cottage, the host lit a candle at both ends to give more light. Then when the candle started to go out, it was time for the company to leave. But I guess burning the candle at both ends was also associated with keeping later hours than usual, for company or maybe for working late on something.
The other was the phrase "done to a T". Apparently, to cook a roast in a cottage fireplace, a roast was impaled onto a metal spit and held at one end by a "T-shaped" piece of iron. The spit could be swung in toward the coals, and out again for turning sides.
How about a newer one, "Nuthin' nuthin'". It's shortened Jersey slang for "nothing for nothing". If you watch the movie Turk 182 on of the characters uses the full phrase in context and the meaning is obvious. If I remember it means something like My advice is worthing nothing because my involvement in this is nothing but IMO blah blah blah. I love hearing people say "nothin' nothin'".
The History Channel said that "through the nose" came from when Viking raiders would go to England. If the people couldn't pay the ransom, the Vikings would slice their nostril, hence they paid their debt by paying through the nose.
Remind me not to get on the bad side of my Scandinavian family members.
The next two I have I'm a little hazy on. The first deals with "burning the candle at both ends".
I think what I remember being told was that when company came to visit a villager's cottage, the host lit a candle at both ends to give more light. Then when the candle started to go out, it was time for the company to leave. But I guess burning the candle at both ends was also associated with keeping later hours than usual, for company or maybe for working late on something.
The other was the phrase "done to a T". Apparently, to cook a roast in a cottage fireplace, a roast was impaled onto a metal spit and held at one end by a "T-shaped" piece of iron. The spit could be swung in toward the coals, and out again for turning sides.
I always just figured that "burning the candle at both ends" meant working extra hard with the added implication that one is likely to "burn out" faster.
I hear that the phrase "Bad hair day" was from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Is this a myth or what?
Wow, I'm a huge Buffy fan and I had no idea.
A search suggests that at the very least the first atributable citation is from the 1992 "Buffy" movie. There are allegations that is was in use by teenagers before then, but no real way to know.
Quote:
Saved by the bell was a favorite of mine. Oh those crazy Victorians and their fear of death. Edgar Allen Poe also had this fear... [/B]
Heh. For a second there, after the "Buffy" reference, I thought you were alluding to "Saved by The Bell", the TV show.
Do you know the whole story on that? I don't think it's been discussed yet.
Comments
That is one phrase I never bothered looking into before
It's scary how many incorrect notions we might be carrying around.
"Rattle off" is merely descriptive of saying many sounds quickly, as rattle means that. "Rattle on" and "rattle off" are similar. "Rattle on" would be a prolonged fast speaking similar to a horse race narration or auction or dictation. "Rattle off" is more a brief period of saying something quickly like if you tell someone your address or phone number.
Rattle the device and rattle the speaking style are both based on rattle being the name for any short sounds - neither is named after the other.
I think what I remember being told was that when company came to visit a villager's cottage, the host lit a candle at both ends to give more light. Then when the candle started to go out, it was time for the company to leave. But I guess burning the candle at both ends was also associated with keeping later hours than usual, for company or maybe for working late on something.
The other was the phrase "done to a T". Apparently, to cook a roast in a cottage fireplace, a roast was impaled onto a metal spit and held at one end by a "T-shaped" piece of iron. The spit could be swung in toward the coals, and out again for turning sides.
"Red letter day" stems from the catholic church marking saint's days in red.
"Red herring" comes from the practice of dragging a red herring across a trail as part of training fox hounds to ignore non-fox scents.
"Red tape" is for the literal red tape used to bind legal documents in 18th century Britain.
Remind me not to get on the bad side of my Scandinavian family members.
Originally posted by Carol A
The next two I have I'm a little hazy on. The first deals with "burning the candle at both ends".
I think what I remember being told was that when company came to visit a villager's cottage, the host lit a candle at both ends to give more light. Then when the candle started to go out, it was time for the company to leave. But I guess burning the candle at both ends was also associated with keeping later hours than usual, for company or maybe for working late on something.
The other was the phrase "done to a T". Apparently, to cook a roast in a cottage fireplace, a roast was impaled onto a metal spit and held at one end by a "T-shaped" piece of iron. The spit could be swung in toward the coals, and out again for turning sides.
I always just figured that "burning the candle at both ends" meant working extra hard with the added implication that one is likely to "burn out" faster.
Saved by the bell was a favorite of mine. Oh those crazy Victorians and their fear of death. Edgar Allen Poe also had this fear...
Originally posted by Crusader
I hear that the phrase "Bad hair day" was from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Is this a myth or what?
Wow, I'm a huge Buffy fan and I had no idea.
A search suggests that at the very least the first atributable citation is from the 1992 "Buffy" movie. There are allegations that is was in use by teenagers before then, but no real way to know.
Saved by the bell was a favorite of mine. Oh those crazy Victorians and their fear of death. Edgar Allen Poe also had this fear... [/B]
Heh. For a second there, after the "Buffy" reference, I thought you were alluding to "Saved by The Bell", the TV show.
Do you know the whole story on that? I don't think it's been discussed yet.