April 29, 2010
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~Wordy Wednesday~
Ever wonder where common expressions and idioms originate?
Which author created the expression ‘I’ll eat my hat’? Dickens. Charles Dickens created the expression in ‘The Pickwick Papers’ (1836). The quotation is as follows:’Well, if I knew as little of life as that, I’d eat my hat and swallow the buckle.’
Riding the gravy train: ‘Gravy’ has been slang for easy money since the early 1900s. In the 1920s railroad workers began using the phrase to describe a run with good pay and little work. Today the phrase also refers to living extravagantly while someone else foots the bill.
pay through the nose – reluctantly have to pay too much – from the 9th century house tax imposed on the Irish by the Danes, called the Nose Tax because anyone who avoided paying their ounce of gold had his nose slit.It just occurred to me that it is actually Thursday already. I’m not kidding. Ah well.
“Monday, Tuesday, Thursday,Wednesday…” Any Godfather fans??!!
Have a great THURSDAY!
~Stacey
Comments (2)
funny how well known those sayings are and how they have carried through.
My brain is so simple…that when I read the title I thought, “Wednesday? Didn’t I just do Wednesday?”
Oh. Great. And I am not even up at night with a baby!!!
This reminds me of our trip to New England way back in 1994! The tour guide at the House of Seven Gables explained a number of common expressions and idioms…loved it. Some are soooo old and like Jenny said, funny how well known they are!
Having a Great Thursday! You too!