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"old sayings"

Interested in the origins of "old sayings"?
We use so many of them, passed down from one generation to another, yet we rarely know where they originate from.
If we find ourselves using one, then WWW it and post any findings!
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Re: "old sayings"

Postby donna » Thu Nov 04, 2010 8:37 pm

A WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING

In Matthew 7:15 Jesus warned his followers of false prophets saying they were like 'wolves in sheep's clothing' outwardly disarming.

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Re: "old sayings"

Postby goodtimesdisco » Mon Nov 08, 2010 12:58 pm

'Rubbing the Salt in'...
During the early centuries, when England was developing the Navy, very often sailors where press-ganged into service.
While at sea, punishment was often lashes with a cat-o-nine tails. (A whip consisting of nine
knotted cords fastened to a handle, used in flogging)
These whippings would usually break open the skin, and so salt was then rubbed into the wound to help stave of any infection.
Of course, rubbing salt into an open wound would hurt like crazy.
So in modern times, rubbing salt in your wound, generally means just heaping more pain onto suffering. 8-)

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Re: "old sayings"

Postby Nevis » Tue Nov 16, 2010 12:03 pm

'Mad as a Hatter'

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The felt hat industry has been traced to the mid 17th century in France, and it was probably introduced into England some time around 1830. A story passed down in the hat industry gives this account of how mercury came to be used in the process. In Turkey camel hair was used for felt material, and it was discovered that the felting process was speeded up if the fibers were moistened with camel urine. It is said that in France workmen used their own urine, but one particular workman seemed consistently to produce a superior felt. This person was being treated with a mercury compound for syphilis, and an association was made between mercury treatment of the fibers and an improved felt. Eventually the use of solutions of mercuric nitrate was widespread in the felt industry, and mercury poisoning became endemic. Dementia and erethism were indeed a common ailment among 19th Century hatmakers.

The crazy Mad Hatter of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland is becoming widely associated with the effects of Mercury on behavior as well as physiology. Mercury was used to process the felt hats used in England around Lewis' time. Erratic, flamboyant behavior was one of the most evident alterations caused by mercury. (Others included excessive drooling, mood swings, various debilities).
But Lewis Carroll did not invent the phrase, although he did create the character. The phrases 'mad as a hatter' and "mad as a March hare" were common at the time Lewis Carroll wrote (1865 was the first publication date of Alice). The phrase had been in common use in 1837, almost 30 years earlier.

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Re: "old sayings" cock and bull story

Postby brillo » Sun Nov 21, 2010 4:28 pm

Many believe that the cock n bull story is tied directly to two inns in England called the The Cock and The Bull.
These establishments may have existed before the 17th century and both inns were stopping points for coaches and travellers who rested up prior to journeying onwards.
The practice of the sharing of stories at these inns and of travellers making up tales to entertain each other, especially during exceedingly journeys.
Some tales which may have exagerated and blown up out of proportion resulting in the expression 'A Cock & Bull Story' :lol:

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Re: "old sayings" Caught Red Handed

Postby Mary » Sun Nov 21, 2010 5:38 pm

To be caught red handed goes back to the day where the stealing of livestock was rife in England.
It was hard to catch the the and prove who commited such crimes.
Except in the cases when the villan was caught soon after they slaughtered the animal and still with blood on their hands :D

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Re: "old sayings"

Postby lal » Tue Dec 07, 2010 5:26 pm

Your Neck of the Woods: How and where did this saying come about?
This was from when woods covered much of the land.
Inhabitants used to say 'neck' to describe a home or land owned by a single founder, they would often cut through others property to reach a destination quicker.
They would say "I'm going up to your neck of the woods" this would tell the landowner they were cutting through the property.

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Re: "old sayings"

Postby fisherman » Tue Dec 07, 2010 9:50 pm

CHOCK-A-BLOCK

When pulleys or blocks on sailing ship were pulled so tightly together that they could not be moved any closer together they were said to be chock-a-block.

CODSWALLOP

In the 19th century wallop was slang for beer. A man named Codd began selling lemonade and it was called Codswallop. In time codswallop began to mean anything worthless or inferior and later anything untrue.

Lolz :)

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