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Author Topic: Origin of idioms  (Read 6568 times)

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Offline Ela

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Origin of idioms
« on: December 06, 2008, 06:38:14 PM »
Have we ever had a thread like this? How do you find out the origin of commonly used expressions?

Example: "Fly off the handle."

I know what it means, and I can also find lots of definitions for it, but none of the definitions I have seen tell me what the origin of the expression is.  Anyone know?
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Offline rivka

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Origin of idioms
« Reply #1 on: December 06, 2008, 08:24:27 PM »
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Offline Neutros the Radioactive Dragon

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Origin of idioms
« Reply #2 on: December 08, 2008, 08:32:50 AM »
Man, rivka, you should get the award for useful web references!
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Offline The Genuine

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Origin of idioms
« Reply #3 on: December 08, 2008, 09:41:34 AM »
Yeah, that was pretty impressive.
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Offline rivka

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Origin of idioms
« Reply #4 on: December 08, 2008, 09:43:12 AM »
Thanks.  :)

I love all three sites. So while I did use Google, I knew what I was looking for (and in one case went straight to their site to search).
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Offline Ela

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Origin of idioms
« Reply #5 on: December 08, 2008, 12:51:40 PM »
And that was the difference between you and me, in this case. :)
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Offline Narnia

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Origin of idioms
« Reply #6 on: January 02, 2009, 02:44:17 PM »
Ok, you guys are made of win.  My mom got a game for Christmas called "Origins of Phrases" and it's the Balderdash of Idioms.  Basically, you have to write the most convincing origin or the correct one.  (Oddly enough, you get more points for writing a fake origin and getting people to pick it than you do for writing the real origin.)  

Anyway, 'Fly off the Handle' came up and I was so excited that I actually knew the answer.  I couldn't for the life of me remember where I'd read it recently, but now I remember. :)
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Offline Porter

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Origin of idioms
« Reply #7 on: January 02, 2009, 04:22:28 PM »
Is that from when you swing a hammer or axe that's loose and it flies off of the handle?
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Offline Noemon

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Origin of idioms
« Reply #8 on: January 02, 2009, 08:01:56 PM »
If only there were a way to scroll closer to the top of the thread and click on any of the three links containing that information.
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Offline Porter

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Origin of idioms
« Reply #9 on: January 03, 2009, 02:31:59 PM »
:blush:
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Offline rivka

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Origin of idioms
« Reply #10 on: January 04, 2009, 12:33:34 PM »
Poor Porter. Heckled by IM and in the thread.

That'll learn him not to trust the "new posts" button!
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Offline Porter

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Origin of idioms
« Reply #11 on: January 04, 2009, 08:46:14 PM »
Quote
That'll learn him
:wub:
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Offline rivka

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Origin of idioms
« Reply #12 on: January 04, 2009, 09:04:55 PM »
You are so easy. ;)
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Offline Tante Shvester

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Re: Origin of idioms
« Reply #13 on: August 30, 2010, 10:20:32 PM »
Which of the colors, exactly, are the flying ones?
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Offline Annie Subjunctive

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Re: Origin of idioms
« Reply #14 on: August 31, 2010, 02:54:46 AM »
I still would like to know what the tune of a thousand dollars sounds like.
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Offline Tante Shvester

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Re: Origin of idioms
« Reply #15 on: August 31, 2010, 03:06:45 AM »
You know The Bearnaked Ladies' If I Had a Million Dollars?  Well, it sounds kind of like an extra short version.

Or a very extended version of Pennies from Heaven.

Like that.
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I love Bones.  -- Sweet Clementine
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Offline Jonathon

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Re: Origin of idioms
« Reply #16 on: August 31, 2010, 09:29:17 AM »
Quote from: Tante Shvester on August 30, 2010, 10:20:32 PM
Which of the colors, exactly, are the flying ones?

It apparently refers to the flags on a victorious fleet coming into port.
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Offline Tante Shvester

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Re: Origin of idioms
« Reply #17 on: October 06, 2010, 02:15:16 AM »
Can anyone explain to me "near miss"?  If I nearly collide, why is that a near miss and not a near hit?  You'd think if I nearly missed something, then I must have hit it.


Also, what is this wagon that people are on when they are "on the wagon"?  Do they have a special wagon for non-drinkers?  Why would they have that?
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Fighting thread drift with guilt, reverse psychology, and chicken soup.
Sweet! Law of Moses loopholes! -- Anneke
I love Bones.  -- Sweet Clementine
She grew on him like she was a colony of E. coli and he was room-temperature Canadian beef. -- anonymous

Offline Jonathon

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Re: Origin of idioms
« Reply #18 on: October 06, 2010, 08:56:05 AM »
Quote from: Tante Shvester on October 06, 2010, 02:15:16 AM
Can anyone explain to me "near miss"?  If I nearly collide, why is that a near miss and not a near hit?  You'd think if I nearly missed something, then I must have hit it.

It's a miss that was near, not something that was nearly a miss. Honestly, I've always been a little baffled by the confusion about or objection to this phrase. It's never seemed confusing or oxymoronic to me.

Quote
Also, what is this wagon that people are on when they are "on the wagon"?  Do they have a special wagon for non-drinkers?  Why would they have that?

Sorry, but I've got no clue.
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Offline rivka

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Re: Origin of idioms
« Reply #19 on: October 06, 2010, 09:01:24 AM »
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Offline Nighthawk

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Re: Origin of idioms
« Reply #20 on: October 06, 2010, 10:13:46 AM »
Quote from: Tante Shvester on October 06, 2010, 02:15:16 AM
Can anyone explain to me "near miss"?  If I nearly collide, why is that a near miss and not a near hit?  You'd think if I nearly missed something, then I must have hit it.

You're channeling George Carlin (Warning... but do I really have to say it?).
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Offline The Genuine

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Re: Origin of idioms
« Reply #21 on: October 06, 2010, 10:22:08 AM »
Man, you are fluent in Carlin, aren't you.
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Offline Nighthawk

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Re: Origin of idioms
« Reply #22 on: October 06, 2010, 12:24:36 PM »
Kinda, yeah. :D
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Offline Tante Shvester

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Re: Origin of idioms
« Reply #23 on: October 06, 2010, 12:35:06 PM »
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Fighting thread drift with guilt, reverse psychology, and chicken soup.
Sweet! Law of Moses loopholes! -- Anneke
I love Bones.  -- Sweet Clementine
She grew on him like she was a colony of E. coli and he was room-temperature Canadian beef. -- anonymous

Offline rivka

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Re: Origin of idioms
« Reply #24 on: October 06, 2010, 07:42:18 PM »
Me neither!
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