Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

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Linda Rose
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Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Post by Linda Rose »

Donna, we would love to have you join our game! Please read the rules which can be found in the title just above this Bingo game. Personal message me with 10 of the numbers listed in the first Post of this thread and then you will be ready to play come Wednesday. Good luck!
Linda
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Linda Rose
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Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Post by Linda Rose »

So here is who is playing the game, which starts tomorrow:

Serinde (Serinde)
Carole (rcperryls)
Tyledres (Tyledres)
Debby (fccs)
Donna (kevona)

Thanks for joining the fun. Best of luck to all of you! I hope you enter into some friendly banter as we play, offering up your 2 cents worth whatever we end up talking about.

It's not too late to participate. I will take new players right up to the minute before I reveal tomorrow's first numbers. Go beyond just looking at the thread and sign up! You will enjoy!

Linda
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Linda Rose
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Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO - Day 1

Post by Linda Rose »

OK, here we go!

The idea of looking at idioms began as I helped a grand-daughter with some school work. While it seemed simple at the time, as I began to do more research while you signed up, I discovered it was anything but simple. It turns out the origins of many idioms are hotly disputed! Who knew? Certainly not me at the time. So, for this game, I will disclose a popular opinion about the origin or first use of a particular idiom. If you know of an alternate, please share. Good luck!

17 - Flavour of the month; Today the phrase is used to describe something that is the subject of intense, but usually temporary interest; the current fashion; a short-lived phenomenon (Dictionary.com). It is often used as an insult, similar to a 'one hit wonder'. The phrase actually dates back to 1930s USA, where it was used in the advertising slogan for ice cream. While it is unclear which company may have used it first, the earliest written reference found is from The Mansfield News Journal , 1936: "If you haven't tried Sealtest Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream, made by Telling's, you're missing a real treat. It's the flavor-of-the month for June, selected by the Sealtest Jury."

10 - Cat got your tongue? - Meaning 'why aren't you saying anything?', it is directed to a person who has gone inexplicably silent. The origin of the saying is uncertain, but it may have been derived from sailors being punished with cat-o-nine tails; it was so painful, they were speechless. Another suggested explanation is that ancient kings of medieval times would punish those who displeased them by cutting out their tongues and then feeding them to their pet cats.
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Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO - Day 2

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25 - Spin doctor - a person (as a political aide) responsible for ensuring that others interpret an event from a particular point of view (merriam-webster.com). It is based on the slang meaning of the verb to spin, which in the 1950’s meant ”to deceive,” perhaps influenced by ”to spin a yarn.” More recently, as a noun, spin has come to mean ”twist,” or ”interpretation”; when a pitcher puts a spin on a baseball, he causes it to curve, and when we put our own spin on a story, we angle it to suit our predilections or interests. It is considered a US idiom, coming from the Reagan administration. Read mere here: https://longreads.com/2015/02/15/where- ... come-from/" target="_blank" target="_blank

9 - By hook or by crook - an English phrase meaning "by any means necessary", suggesting that any means possible should be taken to accomplishing the goal. The phrase is very old, first recorded in the Middle English text Controversial Tracts by John Wyclif in 1380.

The origin of the phrase is obscure, with multiple different explanations and no evidence to support any particular one over the others. For example, a commonly repeated suggestion is that it comes from Hook Head in Wexford, Ireland and the nearby village of Crooke, in Waterford, Ireland, the two most extreme points on the Irish southern coast with harbours where they could possibly dock. Another is that it comes from the customs regulating which firewood local people could take from common land; they were allowed to take any branches that they could reach with a billhook or a shepherd's crook, used to hook sheep (Wikipedia).
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Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Post by rcperryls »

One yesterday and one today! 2/10 and I'm loving this. So interesting!

Carole
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Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Post by Serinde »

Me, too -- and I have had one right twice so far!
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Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO - Day 3

Post by Linda Rose »

Glad to hear you find this interesting. Here are two more for you to enjoy:

2 - A la mode - from the French, fashionable or stylish; American, topped with ice cream (merriam-webster.com; dictionary.com)

The phrase à la mode was imported into English as a francophile (and therefore stylish) way of saying "in style."

Though clearly of French origin, most of the history of the phrase is in English. In the 1600s, alamode as a noun referred to a type of silk, according to Esther Singleton and Russell Sturgis, The Furniture of Our Forefathers, volume 2 (1906): Alamode, a thin, glossy, black silk, is mentioned in 1676 in company with "Taffaties, Sarsenets and Lutes."

In the US - "Someone felt that pie with ice cream was fashionably delicious and gave it the name pie à la mode. It sounded cool and it stuck. I think it wasn't meant to mean "ice cream" though the ice cream is what made it fashionable." At least this is how one story goes. For an interesting etymology of the phrase as well as additional uses, read http://english.stackexchange.com/questi ... A0-la-mode" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

28 - Turn a blind eye - to ignore something and pretend you do not see it (thefreedictionary.com); To knowingly refuse to acknowledge something which you know to be real.

The phrase to turn a blind eye is attributed to an incident in the life of Admiral Horatio Nelson. Nelson was blinded in one eye early in his Royal Navy career. During the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801 the cautious Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, in overall command of the British forces, sent a signal to Nelson's forces ordering them to discontinue the action. Naval orders were transmitted via a system of signal flags at that time. When this order was given to the more aggressive Nelson's attention, he lifted his telescope up to his blind eye, said, "I really do not see the signal," and most of his forces continued to press home the attack. The frigates supporting the line-of-battle ships did break off, in one case suffering severe losses in the retreat.

There is a misconception that the order was to be obeyed at Nelson's discretion, but this is contradicted by the fact that it was a general order to all the attacking ships (some of whom did break off), and that later that day Nelson openly stated that he had "fought contrary to orders". Sir Hyde Parker was recalled in disgrace and Nelson appointed Commander-in-Chief of the fleet following the battle. (Wikipedia.org)
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Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Post by rcperryls »

None for me today :( so I'm still at 2/10 and still loving the information. :wub:

Carole
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Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Post by Serinde »

That's another one! Three now... 8)
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Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO - Day 4

Post by Linda Rose »

Welcome to the weekend - I hope you are having fun!

27 - To ring true - (idiomatic) To seem to be correct, or plausible (Wictionary)

"Due to poor equipment and the scarcity of precious metals, metal workers of the Middle Ages were not able to produce coins that were uniform in appearance and weight. This situation gave criminals an opportunity they couldn't resist. Thus, when in doubt over a coin's validity, a tradesman would drop it on a stone slab to "sound it." If phony, it'd make a shrill or dull, flat tone in contrast to the clear ring of a true coin. By extension, a story tested and found acceptable is said to ring true, and its opposite, to ring false or hollow." (The Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins)

3 - A New York minute - An instant; an extremely short time (Wictionary); "It appears to have originated in Texas around 1967. It is a reference to the frenzied and hectic pace of New Yorkers' lives. A New Yorker does in an instant what a Texan would take a minute to do." (http://www.funtrivia.com/askft/Question130307.html" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank)

There seems to be considerable debate over this. As with most urban expressions, 'New York minute' was most likely coined through common use over time and it's exact origins will be forever shrouded in mystery. The most reliable web reference I can find dates the expression (in print) back to at least 1954 but does not explain exactly how the phrase came into existence. - 1954 "Betty Jean Bird of the Pirate Club has what she claims the smallest French poodle in the nation. . . It's no bigger than a New York minute and that's only thirty seconds."-Galveston News (Texas), 15 August. Johnny Carson, host of The Tonight Show is credited with the best explanation - "It's the interval between a Manhattan traffic light turning green and the guy behind you honking his horn." from http://www.funtrivia.com/askft/Question130307.html" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

Interestingly, it is said that the phrase is never used by New Yorkers, but I have no idea if this is true or not. What do my American friends know about this one?
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Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Post by rcperryls »

:D One more today so I'm up to 3/10 and that is a fact which is ringing true :roll:
Don't know much about the New York minute source. Actually thought it had been around a lot longer, but like Johnny Carson's definition the best!

Carole
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Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Post by Serinde »

Up to four! I never heard the phrase "New York minute" until I heard it on a drama programme set in New York by a character allegedly from New York. But who knows where the writer was from... anyway, it's clear what it means! (Being originally from Chicago, I have intact most of the prejudices with which I grew up about that city on the East Coast. Mostly how it would benefit everyone to cut it away from the mainland and tow it out to sea, except the tide would only return it like the rest of the rubbish... too late now, anyway.)
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Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Post by kevona »

3/10 so far. Enjoying learning about these phrases.
I thought the ringing true meant checking that church bells were cast correctly.

Donna
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Pull up a chair and grab a :tea:
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Linda Rose
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Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Post by Linda Rose »

I, too, have heard of a connection between the phrase and church bells. I think it is perhaps not as old as the coin explanation. Many idioms seem to have more than one way of being explained, perhaps being updated to keep with the changing times. Here is a link with a bit of background.

http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_boar ... /1342.html" target="_blank" target="_blank

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Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Post by fccs »

I'm a bit late to the party - I've been working more than usual as I'm being trained for my new (October) position at work.

And I've got 3/10 - and I love reading about the origins of some very well known phrases.
Debby

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Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO - Day 5

Post by Linda Rose »

Good morning from cold Canada. I hope you are looking forward to a great day. Here are Sunday's numbers:

12 - Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey - Very cold weather conditions. Also known by the derivative phrase - brass monkey weather.

This piece of alleged history explains that in the olden days of sailing ships, cannon balls were stacked on the decks on brass plates called “monkeys.” The plates had indentations in them that held the balls on the bottoms of the stacks. Brass, however, expands and contracts with the temperature and if it got cold enough, the cannon balls could fall…giving real foundation to the phrase “cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey!” Truth or fiction - who can tell? While other explanations can be found, I will keep the forum family friendly! :D

26 - Straight from the horse's mouth - from an authoritative or dependable source; from someone who has the facts (thefreedictionary.com)

The origin of this phrase has reference to horse racing. Tips on the likely winner are circulated among the punters. The most trusted source are the ones closest to the horse, the stable boys. The phrase goes one step further and better, i.e, from the horse itself. It has been used since the early 1900s. (http://idioms.in/straight-from-the-horses-mouth/" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank)
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Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Post by rcperryls »

:whoop: Half way there! Got both today so 5/10! And still very interesting!

Carole
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Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Post by Serinde »

Me, too! (can I say we are "neck and neck"...?) :king:
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Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO - Day 6

Post by Linda Rose »

So let see who will pull ahead with today's numbers!

21 - More bang for your buck - you get a better result for the amount of effort or money that you have put into something (dictionary.cambridge.org)

Also known as bigger bang for your buck, which is what I should have written for the game, and which I will give the origin for here. During the Red Scare of the 1950's, President Eisenhower decided to increase military action and decrease spending by allowing congress the ability to use atomic warfare for any conflict "larger than a brushfire war." The administration maintained national security and decreased the number of troops, earning the President a 'bigger bang for his buck.' (http://www.hooplaha.com/let-this-famous ... 55178.html" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank)

11 - Close, but no cigar - Expression used when someone got so close to accomplish something... but didn't really accomplish it (urbandictionary.com); Fall just short of a successful outcome and get nothing for your efforts (will reveal another site at end of contest)

"Close, but no cigar" is an Americanism meaning "almost, but not quite successful" in an attempt or endeavour. The first recorded appearance is in the movie Annie Oakley (film, 1935) so the idiom has a high chance of dating earlier than that. (https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-origi ... no-cigar-1" target="_blank" target="_blank) Also - The phrase, and its variant 'nice try, but no cigar', are of US origin and date from the mid-20th century. Fairground stalls gave out cigars as prizes, and this is the most likely source, although there's no definitive evidence to prove that.
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Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Post by Serinde »

Oh noes! Pulled a blank (no cigar for me!).
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