Reader Comments
Fishcop – (from A to Z) February 20, 2021
And Luke 11:51, “…the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias…”
Meaning, the first mutter in history to the last murder recorded in the last book of the Hebrew Bible. I think THIS is the true origin of the phrase.
Anonymous – (the devil is beating his wife) February 20, 2021
My parents were both from Arkansas and they used that phrase all the time!
They would be in their 90’s if they were still here.
Sirmlis – (sleep tight) February 19, 2021
Makes sense. Tightening ropes can’t keep bugs away!
Anonymous – (the devil is beating his wife) February 19, 2021
It’s time to retire this awful expression that normalizes domestic violence.
Yalda – (break a leg) February 19, 2021
It is very interesting to wish someone’s luck by break a leg word.
Kate – (under the weather) February 16, 2021
I think it is maritime and has to do with battle. If a ship has the weather gage, that means it is on the windward side of the enemy and is cutting the wind of from the enemy. The weather gage ship has more maneuverability and has ‘taken the wind out’ of its enemy’s sails, leaving them ‘under the weather’.
Moses Ndaba – (crush) February 16, 2021
It’s absolutely normal to CRUSH someone-“it’s an exciting feeling.”Even me I have a crush on Catherine, my church-mate and I luckly opened up to her. And I hope one day she feels the same way.
Glenn – (coin a phrase) February 15, 2021
I think it comes from printing. A letterpress coin (although it is spelled quoin) is a wedge thingy that holds the letters in place on a printing press. So to quoin a phrase would be to set a phrase or sentence into print.
Michael – (a bed of roses) February 14, 2021
Academic excellence is not a bed of roses, you’ve got to born candles.
Stuart Curmudgeon – (bits and pieces) February 13, 2021
Perhaps the origin lies far back with Spanish silver dollars. Also termed “pieces of eight”. These dollars were frequently sliced into 8 equal wedges called “bits” to get a smaller denomination “coin”. Spanish silver dollars were the international currency for centuries.
