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Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 8:19 pm
by rcperryls
Close but no cigar. Still at 8/10. Good luck to everyone who is getting close. This has been a most fun Bingo!

Carole
:dance:

Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 8:40 pm
by kevona
7/10.

Donna

Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 10:16 am
by Serinde
Hoorah! Up to 7 now. :D

Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 2:37 pm
by Linda Rose
Welcome to the weekend! I am fortunate to be visiting Goderich, Ontario this weekend where Winterfest got underway last night with an ICEtacular event that saw us playing shuffleboard on ice, watching kids take a ride down the iceluge in the square, watching ice sculptors at work in the Battle of the Chainsaws and generally freezing our buns off! Today, which promises to be much warmer, we will visit with old friends, taste from the chili cook off, have more ICEtacular fun, watch the snow (yes, SNOW) pitch tournament, try to find all 21 snow flakes hidden in the square, watch presentations on winter birds, try our hand at curling and enjoy the great outdoors for as long as we can with the many other things there are to try or watch. I loved living here years ago because it was so family and community oriented. I will have a wonderful weekend! I hope you, too, will be enjoying something a little different from the weekday routine over the next couple of days.

Here are today's picks. Enjoy and good luck!

24 - Spill the beans - to give away a secret or a surprise; disclose a secret or reveal something prematurely (thefreedictionary.com)

According to The Scholastic Dictionary of Idioms, by Marvin Terban, this probably dates back to the ancient Greek method of placing black or white beans in a jar to cast votes. If someone spilled the jar of beans, the election results would be known prematurely.

8 - Butter someone up - to be very kind or friendly to someone or try to please someone, so that that person will do what you want them to do (dictionary.cambridge.org)

There is an extremely straightforward theory as to why we say this, namely that the phrase refers to smoothly buttering a piece of bread to make it tastier. A more likely (and interesting) explanation, however, comes from the Hindu temples of India. In order to seek divine favour, Hindu worshippers would throw balls of ghee –clarified butter used as the foundation of Indian cooking – at statues of their deities. By ‘buttering up’ the gods, it was hoped that the worshippers would be rewarded with peace and good harvests. When this began is unknown but the guides of the Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, built c1600s BC, speak of the ancient custom. A similar principle can be seen in the Tibetan New Year celebrations, where sculptures made out of coloured butter would be displayed as gifts to the heavens. This practice can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907). (http://www.historyrevealed.com/facts/wh ... p%E2%80%99" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank)

Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 3:00 pm
by rcperryls
Sure slowing down! Still at 8/10! Good luck everyone!

Carole
:dance:

Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 6:31 pm
by fccs
I'm still holding at 7/10.

Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 12:25 am
by Tyledres
I'm at 7/10 as well. So close but close only counts with horseshoes and hand gernades. All these idioms are making me think of more. I wonder how much region affects which idioms you regularly hear?

Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 2:23 pm
by Linda Rose
Greetings! Here we go with day 12:

19 - Heard it through the grapevine - to learn of something informally and unofficially by means of gossip or rumor. The usual implication is that the information was passed person to person by word of mouth, perhaps in a confidential manner among friends or colleagues. (Wikipedia)

The phrase originated in the 1840-50s during the early days of the telegraph. The telegraph and Morse Code were developed by Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail in 1836 and beginning in 1844 telegraph lines were being strung throughout the eastern states (and eventually across the country). Early telegraph lines were crudely strung, so people likened them to sagging grapevines. Thus, “grapevine” was a shortened form of the “grapevine telegraph.” The phrase gained common usage during the Civil War (1861-65). The idea behind the phrase was not that rumors were actually sent by telegraph, but rather the enormous speed by which a rumor spreads. The phrase was catapulted to fame by the hit song, “Heard it Through the Grapevine” sung by Marvin Gaye in 1968 (Gladys Knight and the Pips recorded an earlier version in 1967). Today’s grapevine is the internet, fueled by tweets and texting, sending rumors and gossip around the world within seconds. Morse and Vail would truly be impressed. (https://atkinsbookshelf.wordpress.com/t ... grapevine/" target="_blank" target="_blank)

15 - Don't look a gift horse in the mouth - do not unappreciatively question a gift or handout too closely (Wiktionary); don’t be ungrateful when you receive a gift

A horse’s teeth reveal its age, just as old people without dental care suffer from receding gums and become long in the tooth. Prospective purchasers would often inspect the condition of a horse’s teeth to establish its age and therefore its value. The sense of the proverb, therefore, is that if you receive a horse as a gift, it is bad manners to look in its mouth to establish its value. Very good, short read here: http://wordhistories.com/2014/09/29/gift-horse/" target="_blank" target="_blank

Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 3:24 pm
by rcperryls
I heard through the grapevine that I got one more today so 9/10 now. But as a previous idiom said, I'm not counting my chickens before they hatch. Good luck all!

Carole
:dance:

Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 5:30 pm
by Serinde
We are neck and neck, nine each! :P :dance:

Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 5:59 pm
by fccs
I heard it through the grapevine, no gift horse for me. Holding at 7/10.

Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 3:03 pm
by Linda Rose
Well , here we are at Monday once again and back to the weekly grind. While I really enjoy my job, a Canadian winter means I leave for work in the dark and travel home in the dark for many weeks. Thankfully the afternoon commute is a bit brighter now, but I can't wait for spring!

I enjoy how much you all are enjoying these idioms. I must say I had a blast with my granddaughter when we were looking them up. Hopefully these 2 will bring a smile to your face today. :D

20 - Mind your p's and q's - an English expression meaning "mind your manners", "mind your language", "be on your best behaviour" or similar. (Wikipedia)

Attempts at explaining the origin of the phrase go back to the mid-19th century. One explanation favoured in a letter to the editors of Notes and Queries dated 1851, as well as by the Oxford English Dictionary upon their revision of the relevant entry in 2007, is literal interpretation of the saying, concerning the distinction of the lowercase letters p and q in the context of the school-room or the printing-office. As noted by W. D. Henkle in Educational Notes and Queries in 1876, in this case the proper spelling of the phrase should be "note your p's and q's", because the distinction of majuscule P and Q does not pose a problem.

Nevertheless, a number of alternative explanations have been considered as more or less plausible. Another explanation suggests that "Ps and Qs" is short for "pleases" and "thank-yous", the latter of which contains a sound similar to the pronunciation of the name of the letter "Q". Another proposed origin is from the English pubs and taverns of the 17th century. Bartenders would keep a watch on the alcohol consumption of the patrons; keeping an eye on the pints and quarts that were consumed. As a reminder to the patrons, the bartender would recommend they "mind their Ps and Qs". This may also have been a reminder to bartenders not to confuse the two units, written as "p" and "q" on the tally slate. Other origin stories, some considered "fanciful", could come from French instructions to mind one's pieds (feet) and queues (wigs) while dancing. However, there is no French translation for this expression. Another origin could be from sailors in the 18th century who were reminded to pay attention to their peas (pea coat) and queues (pony tail). (Wikipedia)

6 - Bite the bullet - to force yourself to do something unpleasant or difficult, or to be brave in a difficult situation (dictionary.cambridge.org)

The phrase was first recorded by Rudyard Kipling in his 1891 novel The Light that Failed. It was suggested by the movie "Bite the Bullet" that biting the bullet meant using a shell casing to cover an aching tooth, especially one that had been broken, and where a nerve is exposed. In the film, the slug was removed from the bullet, the cap was hit to expend that charge, and the casing was cut down to allow it to sit level with the other teeth. It is often stated that it is derived historically from the practice of having a patient clench a bullet in his or her teeth as a way to cope with the extreme pain of a surgical procedure without anesthetic, though evidence for biting a bullet rather than a leather strap during surgery is sparse. It has been speculated to have evolved from the British empire expression "to bite the cartridge", which dates to the Indian Rebellion of 1857, but the phrase "chew a bullet", with a similar meaning, dates to at least 1796. (Wikipedia)

Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 8:18 am
by Serinde
I'm biting the bullet!



BINGO!

Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 10:49 am
by Squirrel
WELL DONE SERINDE. :whoop: :whoop: :whoop: :whoop:

Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO - We have a winner!

Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 11:17 am
by Linda Rose
Congratulations Serinde! You have indeed won the game! :applesauce: :applesauce: :applesauce: You may let me know where I may purchase a gift certificate for you and I will get on it in two shakes of a lamb's tail! (https://idiomation.wordpress.com/2011/0 ... ambs-tail/" target="_blank)

By my calculations there is another one who may also claim BINGO! Please do and I would be pleased to send you something from my stash.

Check here a little later in the day and I will reveal the remaining idioms with their origins.

Thanks everyone for great participation in the game!

Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 12:42 pm
by wendywombat
:whoop: Congratulations, Serinde!! :applesauce: :applesauce: Well Done! :dance:

Although I was unable to participate in this game, I was able to read and enjoy all those fascinating facts concerning the Idioms!!
I now look forward to reading the rest. 8)

Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 12:46 pm
by kevona
I've won too. Sorry I hadn't marked by hook or by crook off my list.

Donna

Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO - Winner is declared!

Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 1:12 pm
by Linda Rose
So here are the last of the idioms in the order they would have been revealed if the game had continued:

30 - White elephant - a possession which its owner cannot dispose of and whose cost, particularly that of maintenance, is out of proportion to its usefulness. (Wikipedia)

White (albino) elephants were regarded as holy in ancient times in Thailand and other Asian countries. Keeping a white elephant was a very expensive undertaking, since the owner had to provide the elephant with special food and provide access for people who wanted to worship it. If a Thai King became dissatisfied with a subordinate, he would give him a white elephant. The gift would, in most cases, ruin the recipient.
References to Indian and Thai veneration of white elephants dates back to at least the early 17th century. The first reference in English to the idiomatic meaning of the term 'white elephant' comes in 1851 G. E. Jewbury's Letters, 1892: "His services are like so many white elephants, of which nobody can make use, and yet that drain one's gratitude, if indeed one does not feel bankrupt."

4 - All tarred with the same brush - To characterize using the same undesirable attribute, especially unjustly. (Wiktionary)

The reference is probably to the tarring of sheep. Owners of a flock of sheep, which can't be branded, used to mark their wool all in the same place with a brush dipped in tar to distinguish them from sheep of another flock. It is said that the red ochre was used to make the mark and that brushing sheep with tar served to protect them against ticks."

5 - Bite off more than you can chew - to indicate that you’ve taken on too much (http://www.gingersoftware.com/content/p ... JnEUlMrK00" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank)

There are two possible origins of this idiom; however, we know that it started being used in America in the late 1800s. Some people believe that it originated at the time when many people chewed tobacco. When they were offered tobacco, some people would take a big “bite” of the tobacco – much bigger than they could chew! Others believe that the phrase was created by people watching children stuffing their mouths full of food and not being able to swallow!

29 - Wear your heart on your sleeve - To show your emotions openly; not to try to hide your feelings (especially regarding love) (https://www.bloomsbury-international.co ... leeve.html" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank)

This phrase originates from a tradition of the King’s Court during the medieval period, when knights would fight on horseback, jousting with a type of long sword called a lance. If a knight chose to joust in order to defend the honour of the woman he loved, then he would show his loyalty to her by tying a handkerchief in her “colours” around his arm on the sleeve of his shirt or tunic. This explains the meaning of the phrase today – the idea of metaphorically showing the “heart” or emotions in a place as visible as a sleeve means that this person displays their emotions truthfully.

The phrase was used by Shakespeare in 1604 in the play Othello. The Character Iago says “I will wear my heart upon my sleeve…” Unfortunately in the play Iago is not a trustworthy character: he is only pretending to show Othello his true emotions. However, usually we can trust a person who wears their heart on their sleeve as they show their true feelings and react honestly in any given situation.

Two very comprehensive sites for idioms and their origins are:

https://www.bloomsbury-international.co ... tioms.html" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank (unfortunately came across it late; would have referenced it more often if found earlier)

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

As mentioned from the beginning some of the origins are disputed across different web sites and books. I was only hoping for fun, which I hope you all had.

Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 1:48 pm
by rcperryls
Congratulations, Serinde!!!! :whoop: :whoop: I was waiting for a white elephant, but you bit the bullet first!!!! Great game and one of the most fun ones we've had. Thank you Linda. I have really enjoyed it. Looking forward to what you will come up with Serinde and hope that more members will join in.

Carole
:dance:

Re: Idioms And Their Origins BINGO

Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 2:57 pm
by Linda Rose
kevona wrote:I've won too. Sorry I hadn't marked by hook or by crook off my list.

Donna
Donna,

Congrats to you as well. If you pm me your address I will send you a gift from my stash.

Linda