Where did that come from...

[Divergent Phugoid!]

Hi folks.... A weekend teaser.

Ever wondered where the origins of certain sayings come from?? Ie gone for a Ball of Chalk, Gone pear shaped etc.

Others like " Popped his cloggs" are in every day use but where do they origionate from??

Any Ideas or more examples??

[Muppet Leader]

Here are some useless facts for you.



The term 'the whole 9 yards' came from WWII fighter pilots in the
South Pacific. When arming their airplanes on the ground, the
.50 calibre machine gun ammo belts measured exactly 27 feet,
before being loaded into the fuselage. If the pilots fired all
their ammo at a target, it got 'the whole 9 yards.'



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.



The phrase 'rule of thumb' is derived from an old English law
, which stated that you couldn't beat your wife with anything wider
than your thumb


Three dog night" (attributed to Australian Aborigines)
came about because on especially cold nights these nomadic
people needed three dogs (dingoes, actually) to keep from freezing.



The saying "it's so cold out there it could freeze the balls off
a brass monkey" came from when they had old cannons like ones used
in the Civil War. The cannonballs were stacked in a pyramid
formation, called a brass monkey. When it got extremely cold
outside they would crack and break off... Thus the saying.


All cobblers really.

Wonder where that one comes from.

Right I'm off back to "Stupid Questions.com"

ML
:ok:

[Ali Barber]

Ever wonder where the word S**T came from? Well, here it is!



Certain types of manure used to be transported (as everything else was years ago) by ship. In dry form it weighed a lot less than when wet, but once water (sea water) hit it, it not only became heavier, but the process of fermentation began again which produced methane gas --- a very explosive by-product. As the stuff was stored below decks in bundles, you can see what could --- and did happen. Methane gas would build up below deck and the first time some sailor came below deck with a lantern
----
BOOOOM!



Several ships were destroyed in this manner before it was discovered what was happening. After that, the bundles were always stamped with "S.*.*.T." on them which meant to the sailors to "Ship High In Transit". In other words, store high enough off the lower deck so that any sea water that came into the hold would not touch this volatile cargo and start the production of explosive methane gas. Bet you didn't know the history of that word, did you? Neither did I. I always thought it was a golf term!

[Memetic]

The cannonballs were stacked in a pyramid formation, called a brass monkey. When it got extremely cold outside they would crack and break off... Thus the saying.

<pedantic mode>The iron balls were stacked in a pyramid on a brass tray, the brass monkey. In cold weather the brass contracted at a faster rate than the iron so the balls "froze off" i.e. were knocked off the stack by the tray shrinking.</pedantic mode>

[Skylark4]

Two Six, Heave.
When a Naval cannon was fired, the recoil drove the cannon backwards restrained by block and tackle. Numbers two and six in the guncrew were tasked with pulling on the ropes to bring the gun back to the gun port.
If the block and tackle failed of course you had a 'Loose cannon'.

Mike W

[motionlotion]

Here's one I don't think you will get but I could be wrong. In any case, I'll give it a few days ..............

"Fill your boots"


ML

[Tigger_Too]

How about the King Charles era when the fashion was to wear very high boots with a sort of flared top - a bit like a funnel. During particularly heavy nights down the pub, a chap could make sure his bar stool wasn't nicked while he was out back having a Jimmy by using the aforesaid funnel feature. Hence on a really good night out, a gentleman was 'filling his boots'

Do I win a prize?


TT

[motionlotion]

Ti double gger,

afraid not - nice try though, next!

ML

[Flytest]

Muppet Leader

Unfortunately, your "Rule of thumb" story is complete chutney... much as we wish it were true... the Scots have one as well called the "rule of 4 x 2" sadly I think that is fictional as well... then again maybe not:p