re: Commonly Used Sayings That Dont Make Sense

quote:

---

I never understood why snitches are said to sting like a canary

---

PIIHB

Why would I put it in her bowl?

Breesus! The OT god has spoken! All hail Breesus!

quote:

---

The one I heard again today, "bowl in a China shop"...

---

This is the only time in my 48 years of life that I've known of anyone to screw up that saying. I can't even begin to fathom someone could make that mistake for long enough to post it on a message board.

You must be trawling with this thread.

Take the bowl by the horns

They all have meanings.


"It's a Duesy"

The Duesenberg was (and adjusted for inflation still is) the most expensive car of the time. People used the term to describe something really nice.


"Don't throw the baby out with the bath water."
Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying

"It's raining cats and dogs."
Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and off the roof.


The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying "dirt poor." The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they adding more thresh until when you opened the door it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entranceway. Hence the saying a "thresh hold."

Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or "upper crust." Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a "wake."

When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could "bring home the bacon." They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and "chew the fat."

quote:

---

swallow your prize

---

I'm definitely using that saying the next time I get a beej

quote:

---

Drewberry

---

You are either:

A. An alter.

B. A real life idiot.

or

C. Both

Go for the juggler!

quote:

---

u have over FIFTY THOUSAND posts

---

The ole... "go after the post count" insult huh? Yeah, that's weak.