Comments on: Commonly Used Idioms and How They Came to be http://socyberty.com/folklore/commonly-used-idioms-and-how-they-came-to-be/ Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:49:27 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Katya http://socyberty.com/folklore/commonly-used-idioms-and-how-they-came-to-be/comment-page-1/#comment-146671 Katya Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:54:15 +0000 http://socyberty.com/folklore/commonly-used-idioms-and-how-they-came-to-be/#comment-146671 Hello! I need your help for my scientific work! Could you help me, please ,to find out the historical origin of the following idioms with the word 'swing' : swing into high gear; be in full swing; get into the swing of things; go with a swing; it swings and rounabouts; swing the balance; swing with someone or something; swing to something Thank you! I hope that you will help me! It`s the matter of importance! BE SO KIND!!!!!! PLEASE!!!)))))))) Hello! I need your help for my scientific work! Could you help me, please ,to find out the historical origin of the following idioms with the word ’swing’ :

swing into high gear;
be in full swing;
get into the swing of things;
go with a swing;
it swings and rounabouts;
swing the balance;
swing with someone or something;
swing to something

Thank you! I hope that you will help me! It`s the matter of importance! BE SO KIND!!!!!! PLEASE!!!))))))))

]]> By: Dave http://socyberty.com/folklore/commonly-used-idioms-and-how-they-came-to-be/comment-page-1/#comment-29707 Dave Fri, 08 May 2009 14:31:11 +0000 http://socyberty.com/folklore/commonly-used-idioms-and-how-they-came-to-be/#comment-29707 Unfortunately, the etymology "Freeze the balls off a brass monkey" presented here is bogus. The noun phrase "brass monkey" has never been used in the manner described above, but has bee used in other colorful expressions, of which this is one. Show us a single example of a wooden "monkey" or "brass monkey" as described above and I'll eat crow. Unfortunately, the etymology “Freeze the balls off a brass monkey” presented here is bogus. The noun phrase “brass monkey” has never been used in the manner described above, but has bee used in other colorful expressions, of which this is one. Show us a single example of a wooden “monkey” or “brass monkey” as described above and I’ll eat crow.

]]> By: aces http://socyberty.com/folklore/commonly-used-idioms-and-how-they-came-to-be/comment-page-1/#comment-29705 aces Sat, 14 Feb 2009 18:47:55 +0000 http://socyberty.com/folklore/commonly-used-idioms-and-how-they-came-to-be/#comment-29705 oh ya, to #13. "The whole nine yards" I believe, originated from the old WW2 fighter planes, equiped with nine yards of belt fed into their machine guns. This dates back to the early 60's. oh ya, to #13. “The whole nine yards” I believe, originated from the old WW2 fighter planes, equiped with nine yards of belt fed into their machine guns. This dates back to the early 60’s.

]]> By: aces http://socyberty.com/folklore/commonly-used-idioms-and-how-they-came-to-be/comment-page-1/#comment-29703 aces Sat, 14 Feb 2009 18:30:39 +0000 http://socyberty.com/folklore/commonly-used-idioms-and-how-they-came-to-be/#comment-29703 I think that "dead ringer" is a little bit older than you think. I'm sure that you've heard stories of when people were buried alive due to lack of medical awareness. Diseases that would give the idea that the victim was dead. When relocating a graves they discovered scratch marks on the insides of the coffins. They then would also bury a pipe from the coffin to the surface. It would house a rope tied to a hanging bell above ground. If they had a live one, it was called a "dead ringer". This also gave birth to the "graveyard shift". During daylight there were priests, workers, and others at the church, where most graveyards were. But at night someone had to listen for the ringers. I think that “dead ringer” is a little bit older than you think. I’m sure that you’ve heard stories of when people were buried alive due to lack of medical awareness. Diseases that would give the idea that the victim was dead. When relocating a graves they discovered scratch marks on the insides of the coffins. They then would also bury a pipe from the coffin to the surface. It would house a rope tied to a hanging bell above ground. If they had a live one, it was called a “dead ringer”. This also gave birth to the “graveyard shift”. During daylight there were priests, workers, and others at the church, where most graveyards were. But at night someone had to listen for the ringers.

]]> By: niecey http://socyberty.com/folklore/commonly-used-idioms-and-how-they-came-to-be/comment-page-1/#comment-29701 niecey Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:05:49 +0000 http://socyberty.com/folklore/commonly-used-idioms-and-how-they-came-to-be/#comment-29701 This was pretty neat. Have a blog devoted soley to idioms: bl0gfull.wordpress.com This was pretty neat. Have a blog devoted soley to idioms: bl0gfull.wordpress.com

]]> By: Geoff http://socyberty.com/folklore/commonly-used-idioms-and-how-they-came-to-be/comment-page-1/#comment-29697 Geoff Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:45:16 +0000 http://socyberty.com/folklore/commonly-used-idioms-and-how-they-came-to-be/#comment-29697 Entertaining those these are and fun to learn about, your providing of the source of these idioms is actually of great importance in my mind! Language and words provide insights into history and culture. Reading just your few descriptions here illustrates that. Idioms are endless, keep them coming!<br /> <br /> How about this one? A guy I used to work with (reluctantly) used the phrase, "Like pissing up a rope," when something was difficult. Where the heck did that annoying thing come from? Entertaining those these are and fun to learn about, your providing of the source of these idioms is actually of great importance in my mind! Language and words provide insights into history and culture. Reading just your few descriptions here illustrates that. Idioms are endless, keep them coming!

How about this one? A guy I used to work with (reluctantly) used the phrase, “Like pissing up a rope,” when something was difficult. Where the heck did that annoying thing come from?

]]> By: Erin http://socyberty.com/folklore/commonly-used-idioms-and-how-they-came-to-be/comment-page-1/#comment-29699 Erin Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:27:39 +0000 http://socyberty.com/folklore/commonly-used-idioms-and-how-they-came-to-be/#comment-29699 this is a good page to get weird/funny quots or sayings lol this is a good page to get weird/funny quots or sayings lol

]]> By: Erin http://socyberty.com/folklore/commonly-used-idioms-and-how-they-came-to-be/comment-page-1/#comment-29695 Erin Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:26:11 +0000 http://socyberty.com/folklore/commonly-used-idioms-and-how-they-came-to-be/#comment-29695 hahaha , nice hahaha , nice

]]> By: Chloe http://socyberty.com/folklore/commonly-used-idioms-and-how-they-came-to-be/comment-page-1/#comment-29693 Chloe Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:23:06 +0000 http://socyberty.com/folklore/commonly-used-idioms-and-how-they-came-to-be/#comment-29693 Hahaha. 'dead as a doornail' made me laugh. Love stories behind things Hahaha. ‘dead as a doornail’ made me laugh. Love stories behind things

]]> By: Darlene McFarlane http://socyberty.com/folklore/commonly-used-idioms-and-how-they-came-to-be/comment-page-1/#comment-29691 Darlene McFarlane Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:37:55 +0000 http://socyberty.com/folklore/commonly-used-idioms-and-how-they-came-to-be/#comment-29691 Jim, thanks for the information. Jim, thanks for the information.

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