Interesting phrases and meanings-whole 9 yrds

[tao]

I heard that saying is derived from the ammo belt of a fighter in WW2 was 9 yards long?
"Wind fall" is interesting..it was illegal to take wood from a neighbor but if a storm blew branches down..it was god's providence and anybody could take it. Fun if anybody wants to toss a few more out!

[ALPHA]

There is an Insurance company here in the US that thrives on Idioms
SCAPEGOAT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cTH7a-PUrg
HUMP DAY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LtjzQaFZ3k
AND SOME OTHER STUFF
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dtp_mq2fO24


ALPHA

[tao]

Those are good!

Mind your P's and Q's ..was bartenders keeping track of Pints and Quarts.
Now "giving the finger" has quite a few variants..but one of interest is in the battle of Angincourt 1415.. the French taunted
the English that after they defeated them..they would cut off their bow fingers (Middle finger needed along with first finger to draw large bows of Yew Wood. So the English won and showed them the "finger".. who knows but it makes for a good and plausible story!

[jarndice]

Does anyone know the derivation of "Old Wives Tales"?
shaun

[RobW]

The whole 9 yards and the ammo belt is most likely fiction as the phrase and variants of it predate WWII by a long shot.
An awful lot of these "origins" tend to be nothing but old wives tales.
P

Agreed, pretty sure the ammo belt is a false one. Looks like the origin is lost to history https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_whole_nine_yards


Possibly correct....
Bolt from the blue: Is from crossbow bolts, you won't see the one that gets you as they're nearly invisible end on. Much the same with arrows - a volley is very visible from the side, but you rarely see the outgoing volley (I've no plans on viewing the incoming volley!) until the arrows start to arc over.

Rule of thumb: On a correctly strung longbow the gap between the bow & string is (about) a fist with the thumb stuck out This is the case on mine, plus others in the club, but we're not shooting war bows.

Playing fast and loose: Calling "fast" means stop in archery, similarly "loose" means fire (you loose an arrow), possibly from medieval times where playing on the target butts was somewhat hazardous.....

[ALPHA]

Does anyone know the derivation of "Old Wives Tales"?
shaun

I'd like to hear that one too

ALPHA

[RobW]

Rule of thumb: On a correctly strung longbow the gap between the bow & string is (about) a fist with the thumb stuck out This is the case on mine, plus others in the club, but we're not shooting war bows.

Mine too RobW, not a war bow either. Not so for my recurve though, bracing height gauge needed there

That's because they're far too complicated! Mind my girlfriend shoots compound.....

[tao]

I'm stumped..if your carriage was stuck on a tree stump.
Hand shake and tip your hat..to show no no hidden weapons
Fair Dinkum..I heard that it was from poker games in AU..not fair if the other fellow declined to drink alcohol.
Caught red handed..Chinese would put poison ivy oil on objects in the palace to trace if stolen.
On a modern note..somebody just told me the reason why gang members hold their guns sideways..cause that's how it came in the box

[wibblywobbly]

Cash on the Nail comes from my home City.

There is a road called Corn Street. It later became the financial centre, and is now a load of dodgy wine bars.

It was called Corn Street as that was where the trading in corn took place, and to this day there are the original 'nails' still sat outside of the Corn Exchange. They have a flat top and when a deal was struck, it was paid for in cash, which was placed on the nail. So 'Cash on the Nail'.

[Max-U52]

We Yanks have different meanings for two of these,

Lock, Stock and Barrel referred to the sale of a ranch, all items included. The lock on the door, the stock in the barn and the rain barrel next to the house.

Rule of thumb we credit to our Brit buddies, that you aren't allowed to use a stick bigger in diameter than your thumb ... TO BEAT YOUR WIFE!!