Reader Opinions
Roger Hilton – (run a tight ship) May 1, 2021
Along with taught rigging, the phrase also refers to the caulking between the ships timbers. A well caulked ship would be more water resistant, hence the word ‘tight’.
Anonymous – (best thing since sliced bread) April 29, 2021
Does this imply that the new thing is better than sliced bread, not as good as, or neither? Meaning, is it an exact comparison? or just simply saying ‘similarly good?’
Eric Robert Klüg – (Figure of Speech) April 27, 2021
Does anyone have the etymology behind sarcasm?
Anonymous – (riding shotgun) April 26, 2021
Whoever said it is used in the gaming world probably plays halo and races to shotgun in the warthog.
Stephen M – (weather the storm) April 24, 2021
Your origin seems incomplete (and I don’t have it to give). Saying British people like to talk about weather, so several idioms feature it, is an observation at best, and unnecessary. What would be useful would be explaining the use of “weather” here as a verb, not as a single or collective noun.
“Weather the storm” is linguistically similar to “sport the tennis” or “animal the dog”, but you don’t hear people saying that they “will have to animal the dog”.
(I’d be suspicious if they did!)
It’s this usage that should be explained, i.e. endure and get through.
A good website can weather some criticism.
Emy – (knock socks off) April 24, 2021
I said to somebody who wanted to do something, “Knock your socks off.”
It was a figure of speech to mean enjoy yourself! Have fun!
They were offended. My goodness sake. They did not understand.
Will – (I could eat a horse) April 23, 2021
I believe horses were considered so close to family that humans would use the expression to highlight their desperation for food. It’d be like eating one of their own family members.
Anonymous – (twenty-three skidoo) April 22, 2021
Gotled – a nickelodeon was an early version jukebox.
Judith Elizabeth Catterall – (low hanging fruit) April 22, 2021
I first read the phrase in The Color Purple—lynchings. Billie Holiday song—Strange Fruit—Lynchings. I am, perhaps mixing up the phrases.
Simon – (chip on shoulder) April 19, 2021
@Hayden Of course it wasn’t as we all thought, and of course the Brits had to create a super convoluted expression. “The joys of” learning English, “as it were”.
