[Northkeep] Did you know where these expressions came from?

[Shirley Hackworth]

Okay, I didn't check the historical accuracy of all of these (and many of
them are out of period), so I'm sure some of you more educated people will
correct them, but I did find these kind of cute.

 

Did you know the saying "God willing and the Creek don't rise" was in
reference to the Creek Indians and not a body of water?  It was written
by Benjamin Hawkins in the late 18th century.  He was a politician and
Indian diplomat.  While in the south, Hawkins was requested by the President
of the U.S. to return to Washington .  In his response, he was said to
write, "God willing and the Creek don't rise."  Because he capitalized the
word "Creek" it is deduced that he was referring to the Creek Indian tribe
and not a body of water. 

 

In George Washington's days, there were no cameras. One's image was either
sculpted or painted.  Some paintings of George Washington showed him
standing behind a desk with one arm behind his back while others showed both
legs and both arms.  Prices charged by painters were not based on how many
people were to be painted, but by how many limbs were to be painted.  Arms
and legs are 'limbs,' therefore painting them would cost the buyer more.
Hence the expression, 'Okay, but it'll cost you an arm and a leg.' (Artists
know hands and arms are more difficult to paint)


When wigs were a popular fashion item wealthy men could afford good wigs
made from wool. They didn't wash the wigs, so to clean them they
would carve out a loaf of bread, put the wig in the shell, and bake it for
30 minutes.   The heat would make the wig big and fluffy, hence the term
'big wig.. ' Today we often use the term 'here comes the Big Wig' because
someone appears to be or is powerful and wealthy. 


Historical women used bee's wax on their facial skin to smooth out their
complexions.  When they were speaking to each other, if a woman began to
stare at another woman's face she might be told, 'mind your own bee's wax.'
Should the woman smile, the wax could crack, hence the term 'crack a smile'.
In addition, when they sat too close to the fire, the wax would melt . . .
Therefore, the expression 'losing face.'  

 

 Ladies wore corsets.   A proper and dignified woman, as in 'straight laced'
wore a tightly tied lace.. a 'loose woman' wore no corset at all.

 

Common entertainment included playing cards. However, there was a tax levied
when purchasing playing cards but only applicable to the 'Ace of Spades..'
To avoid paying the tax, people would purchase 51 cards instead.  Yet, since
most games require 52 cards, these people were thought to be stupid or dumb
because they weren't 'playing with a full deck..'

 

Early politicians required feedback from the public to determine what the
people considered important. Since there were no telephones, TV's or radios,
the politicians sent their assistants to local taverns, pubs, and bars. They
were told to 'go sip some Ale and listen to people's conversations and
political concerns. Many assistants were dispatched at different times. 'You
go sip here' and 'You go sip there.' The two words 'go sip' were
eventually combined when referring to the local opinion and, thus we have
the term 'gossip.' 

 

At local taverns, pubs, and bars, people drank from pint and quart-sized
containers. A bar maid's job was to keep an eye on the customers and keep
the drinks coming.  She had to pay close attention and remember who was
drinking in 'pints' and who was drinking in 'quarts,' hence the phrase
'minding your 'P's and Q's'. 

 

In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters carried
iron cannons. Those cannons fired round iron cannon balls.  It was necessary
to keep a good supply near the cannon. However, how to prevent them from
rolling about the deck (and becoming a very dangerous 'loose cannon')?   The
best storage method devised was a square-based pyramid with one ball on top,
resting on four resting on nine, which rested
on sixteen.  Thus, a supply of 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small
area right next to the cannon.  There was only one problem...how to prevent
the bottom layer from sliding or rolling from under the others. The solution
was a metal plate called a 'Monkey' with 16 round indentations.  However, if
this plate were made of iron, the iron balls would quickly rust to it. The
solution to the rusting problem was to make 'Brass Monkeys.' Few landlubbers
realize that brass contracts much more and much faster than iron
when chilled. Consequently, when the temperature dropped too far, the brass
indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannonballs would come right
off the monkey; Thus, it was quite literally, 'Cold enough to freeze the
balls off a brass monkey.' (All this time, you thought that was an improper
expression, didn't you.)  

 

Cicily