*Please note- This site search does not include the Vic. & Tas. BMD's, Lots o' Links & Worth a Look Books
|
Now Sayings get passed on through time,
And wives tales can seem quite sublime;
From whence did they come?
those sayings that Mum
did clearly know all in her prime
And wives tales can seem quite sublime;
From whence did they come?
those sayings that Mum
did clearly know all in her prime
L
Lame Duck- An ineffectual or unsuccessful person or thing, a failing business. A Term previously used for someone (a Stock Jobber) who could not pay, or will not pay his gambling debts (gambling on the Stock exchange), called his differences, on the stoke exchange, and therefore, absents himself from it. (A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue 1785) Lap it Up- To enjoy something enthusiastically, like a cat lapping up their milk. In the 1800's, Lapping up, meant to conclude, end, finish. (The English dialect dictionary, Volume 4 By Joseph Wright 1903) Laziness is no good, unless it's well carried out- If you're lazy and you try to do something, then you'll only put in a little bit of effort and won't do a very good job, so you might as well be totally lazy and not bother at all! Said to a person who is only doing just enough, or the bare minimum. This probably goes along with the saying- 'A job worth doing, is worth doing well'. This may be only an Australian saying? -"Well," said Neil Peterson, "I do like laziness when it's well carried out.(The Australian Journal: A Weekly Record of Literature, Science, and Art, Volume 30, 1895) Leap in the Dark- Taking a leap or a step into the unknown,a leap of faith. Doing something for the first time, without experience, or previous knowledge of what's expected. Thomas Hobbes (English philosopher, cir. 1600)- Said just before his death- "Now I am about to take my last voyage, a great leap in the dark" Left High and Dry- To be stranded, left alone without support. This refers to a ship that is grounded on the shore after the tide goes out. Lickety Split- You'll do something straight away, fast, it won't take long. 1852, American English (earlier lickety-cut, lickety-click, and simply licketie, 1817), from lick in a dialectal sense "very fast sprint in a race" (1809) on the notion of a "lick" as a fast thing (blink) . Lick Into Shape- To make something presentable, to get it into the right shape, or form. People believed that- "Bears are a cunning race. They bring forth unformed masses of flesh (giving birth to bear cubs), which they lick into shape.(The Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy, Volumes 12-13, 1815) Lives in an Ivory Tower- Someone who lives sheltered from the problems of life and reality Alfred de Vigny (1797–1863) was a French poet, who led the Romantic movement in Paris. After the death of his mother in 1838 he inherited the property of Maine-Giraud, near Angoulême, where it was said that he had withdrawn to his 'ivory tower' (an expression Sainte-Beuve coined with reference to Vigny) Load of Codswallop- A load of rubbish or nonsense. In 1872, Hiram C. Codd, started making lemonade in green bottles, which became known as 'Codd's Wallop', Wallop being a slang term for beer. Load of Old Bull- Same meaning as Codswallop. Lock Stock and Barrel- The whole lot, everything, all of it. Eg. "We're having a big sale, we're selling everything, Lock, Stock & Barrel". This refers to a gun. The lock of a muzzle-loading firearm is the system used to ignite the propellant. A stock, is a part of a firearm, which the barrel and firing mechanism are attached, that is held against your shoulder when firing. A barrel is the tube, through which a rapid expansion of gases are released in order to propel the bullet. Gun, Blunderbuss, Pistol, or other Arms, or any Stock, Lock, Barrel, or other Part of any Gun (The Statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 1830) Long in the Tooth- This means that you're getting old. If you lose a tooth and don't replace it, then the tooth directly above or below, will grow longer to try and fill the gap. That's what the dentist told me. Loose Ends- To Tie up loose ends, means that you have some unfinished business that you want to clean up, complete. "I have a few loose ends to tie up, I just have to sign a few documents before the house is mine" The ends are said to be ropes, either on a sailing ship, or for Military purposes. To prevent the ropes from becoming unravelled, the ends had to be tightly bound or tied. -''When you wish to place a lever, bend the rope and form a loop, so that the loose end may be uppermost ; with that part form a second loop, put the lever in the second loop and draw forward. (Military and political hints By Irenée Amelot de Lacroix, France. Armée. Artillerie. 1808) - 'The two loose ends of the rope being tied together (The Rural Economy of Norfolk: Comprising the Management of Landed. 1798) Lucky Break- A great chance, or opportunity. Said to have originated from Pool playing and the breaking of the ball formation at the beginning of the game. The played hopes that it will break in an advantageous way, for his game play. |