Reader Opinions
Don Frampton – (a house divided against itself cannot stand) October 27, 2021
Thomas Hobbes in “The Leviathan” written in 1651, used the phrase, “… a Kingdom divided in itself, and cannot stand” in chapter 29. About 200 years before Lincoln used it. Lincoln was most likely familiar with Hobbes.
Joanne – (better half) October 27, 2021
Better for a husband or wife to say than for an acquaintance to refer as in: your better half is in the other room. One can laugh at that but don’t question the person. A flip remark “like how do you know he/she is better than I ?”.
Phillip – (get under someone’s skin) October 26, 2021
The term comes from pealing eggs. If you don’t get under the skin the protective she’ll cannot be removed. This irratant bug bs is untrue.
Ron – (in mint condition) October 25, 2021
Where stamps are concerned the word “mint” simply means unused, not “something used that looks new” though they *may* be of some age even though they were never used. The two major categories of stamps are “mint” and “used” (or canceled).
Bhagyashri – (Verbs) October 25, 2021
Sir, we are in the Green House Club.
Which is the main verb in this sentence?
Gregg R. Brown – (high time) October 24, 2021
Romans 13:11 (KJV): And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Anonymous – (throw under the bus) October 23, 2021
I said “sweep it under the bus”
Dominick Allen – (a fish out of water) October 21, 2021
Chaucer’s Canterbury tales has the phrase
“Is likned til a fissh that is waterless”
General prologue: line 180
Esteban – (upper hand) October 19, 2021
I always thought it was biblical in origin in that only when Moses arms and of course hands were uplifted did the battle go in the favor of the israelites.
Meteor – (burn the midnight oil) October 18, 2021
Candles? The cited first instance in 1635 doesn’t say anything about candles. An oil lamp provides more illumination.
