Here's some more stories behinds everyday sayings :jagsatwork:
In George Washington's days, there were no cameras.
One's image was either sculpted or painted. Some paintings
of George Washington showed him standing behind a desk
with one arm behind his back while others showed both legs
and both arms. Prices charged by painters were not based on
how many people were to be painted, but by how many limbs
were to be painted. Arms and legs are "limbs," therefore painting
them would cost the buyer more. Hence the _expression, "Okay,
but it'll cost you an arm and a leg."
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As incredible as it sounds, men and women took baths only twice
a year (May and October)! Women kept their hair covered, while men
shaved their heads (because of lice and bugs) and wore wigs. Wealthy
men could afford good wigs made from wool. They couldn't wash the wigs,
so to clean them they would carve out a loaf of bread, put the wig in the shell,
and bake it for 30 minutes. The heat would make the wig big and fluffy, hence
the term "big wig." Today we often use the term "here comes the Big Wig"
because someone appears to be or is powerful and wealthy.
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In the late 1700s, many houses consisted of alarge room with only one chair.
Commonly, a long wide board folded down from the wall, and was usedfor
dining. The "head of the household" always sat in the chair while everyone
else ate sitting on the floor. Occasionally a guest, who was usually a man,
would be invited to sit in this chair during a meal. To sit in the chair meant
you were important and in charge. They called the one sitting in the chair
the "chair man." Today in business, we use the expression or title
"Chairman" or "Chairman of the Board."
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Personal hygiene left much room for improvement. As a result, many
women and men had developed acne scars by adulthood. The women
would spread bee's wax over their facial skin to smooth out their complexions.
When they were speaking to each other, if a woman began to stare at another
woman's face she was told, "mind your own bee's wax." Should the woman
smile, the wax would crack, hence the term "! crack a smile." In addition, when
they sat too close to the fire, the wax would melt . . . therefore, the expression
"losing face."
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Ladies wore corsets, which would lace up in the
front. A proper and dignified woman . . . as in
"straight laced" . . wore a tightly tied lace.
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Common entertainment included playing cards.
However, there was a tax levied when purchasing
playing cards but only applicable to the "Ace of
Spades." To avoid paying the tax, people would
purchase 51 cards instead. Yet, since most games
require 52 cards, these people were thought to be
stupid or dumb because they weren't "playing
with a full deck."
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Early politicians required feedback from the
public to determine what the people considered
important. Since there were no telephones,
TV's or radios, the politicians sent their
assistants to local taverns, pubs, and bars.
They were told to "go sip some ale" and
listen to people's conversations and
political concerns. Many assistants
were dispatched at different times. "You
go sip here" and "You go sip there." The
two words "go sip" were eventually
combined when referring to the local
opinion and, thus we have the term "gossip."
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At local taverns, pubs, and bars, people drank
from pint and quart-sized containers. A
bar maid's job was to keep an eye on
the customers and
keep the drinks coming. She had to pay
close attention and remember who was
drinking in "pints" and who was drinking
in "quarts," hence the term "minding your
"P's and Q's."
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One more
In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and
many freighters carried iron cannons.
Those cannons fired round iron cannon balls.
It was necessary to keep a good supply near
the cannon. However, how to prevent them
from rolling about the deck? The best
storage method devised was a square-
based pyramid wit! h one ball on top, resting on
four resting on nine, which rested on
sixteen. Thus, a supply of 30 cannon balls
could be stacked in a small area right
next to the cannon. There was only one
problem...how to prevent the bottom layer from
sliding or rolling from under the others. The
solution was a metal plate called a "Monkey"
with 16 round indentations.
However, if this plate were made of iron, the iron
balls would quickly rust to it. The solution to the
rusting problem was to make "Brass
Monkeys." Few landlubbers realize that
brass contracts much more and much faster
than! iron when chilled.
Consequently, when the temperature dropped
too far, the brass indentations would shrink
so much that the iron cannonballs would
come right off the monkey.
Thus, it was quite literally, "Cold enough to freeze
the balls off a brass monkey." (All this time, you
thought that was an improper expression, didn't
you.)
Orgasminator
Interesting though.