Reader Opinions
Peter Jensen Brown – (white elephant) May 4, 2021
White elephants were not given as gifts in Siam – they were jealously collected and hoarded by the King, and used to attract the donation of religious offerings to the revered animals. The “legend” is actually a misnomer, based on an earlier legend of Indian nabobs giving elephants away, and an earlier idiom, “to be like the man who won an elephant in a raffle.”
Markus – (saved by the bell) May 3, 2021
Dear Craig,
while the idea that the idiom stems from the safety coffins is plausible, it’s not certain whether that idiom was ever actually used in this context. The actual event of someone being buried alive was exceedingly rare, even back then, and thus the event of someone being “saved by the bell” in this context even rarer, if it happened at all. This would make the popularization of this sentence to the point of becoming an idiom less likely.
Anuradha Alurkar – (tie the knot) May 2, 2021
A Hindu marriage is solemnised by tying the knot of the bride and groom’s clothing, after which the couple goes around the holy fire seven times, symbolising their everlasting union. The ritual is commonly known as ‘pheras’.
Cleah Colongon – (birds of a feather flock together) May 2, 2021
What is Birds of feather flock together in relation to views of social anthropology?
Anonymous – (the devil is beating his wife) May 2, 2021
Heard my Mom saying that “Someone’s mother is crying.” when it rains and sun shines together. From Mumbai, India.
Zainab Ayaz – (call it a day) May 1, 2021
Is the “call it a day” and “call it a night” are similar?
If so, please mention the meaning of “call it a night?
Thank you
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.
