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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
M
Make a Bee line- To go the quickest and shortest way to a destination. Bees were thought to have flown in a straight line back to the hive, but this is untrue. Then going straight as a die and by a bee-line to achieve their purpose. (Five anonymous plays edited by John Stephen Farmer, 1575) Make Both Ends Meet- To be able to live within your means, or comfortably live with the amount of money that you make, being able to still pay the bills Both paths, your means and your wishes, should both lead to the same end and meet. Scroll down to the bottom of this page, to read extracts from a great poem by Thomas Beck 1809, which explains exactly what is meant by- To make ends meet. This saying goes along side of the saying 'A means to an end' (see also, bottom of page) Make Mincemeat Out of it- To absolutely destroy something, to ruin it. Eg. Speaking about a really bad singer- "She made mincemeat out of that song" Leftover meat was always minced the following day, so that it no longer looks like the original meat, chicken, turkey etc. Make no Bones About it- To say exactly and precisely what you mean, don't hold back, even if it may offend someone. Can also mean to do it quickly, don't mess around. To leave the bones in a dish, makes it slower and harder to eat. Make no bones about it- "A metaphor taken from a dog, who readily swallows meat that has no bones".(A Dictionary of the English Language: In which the Words are deduced from their originals, Volume 1 By Samuel Johnson 1755). To beware of any Bones cast in here. (Journals of the House of Commons, Volume 1.1547) Mark My Words- Pay attention to what I'm saying, listen carefully, usually said as a warning or premonition. Eg. "It's going to rain tomorrow, you mark my words" From a 1535 translation in London, of the Bible, by Miles Coverdale. (The first printed English version of the Bible was the New Testament, by William Tyndal, in 1526) Isaiah 28:23 Take hede, and heare my voyce, pondre and merck my wordes wel. King James Version- Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech. Middle of the Road- A position in the middle, a safe place, not one side or the other. I believe that this stems from teachings in the Bible, as in the road being, the straight and narrow road leading to God. -Therefore let us neither decline to the right hand, nor to the left: let us keep the middle road, which is the way of vertue (Mystagogus Poeticus Or The Muses Interpreter: (Explaning the Historical mysteries and mystical histories of the ancient Greek and Latin poets By Alexander Ross 1648) -You see the truth lies in the middle betwixt both these,and there is the safest road.(The True Convert: Or an Exposition Upon the XV Chapter of St. Lukes Gospell By Nehemiah Rogers 1632) Mince Your Words- Don't mince your words, speak honestly, say exactly what you mean, the truth, how it really is, not a minced up version. All sorts of meat in the early 1600's, was being minced, so why not words? -Never mince the Matter (King Edward the Third, with the Fall of Mortimer Earl of March: 2. 1720). -You mince your words mightily (A Compleat Collection of State-tryals, and Proceedings Upon Impeachments for High Treason and other crimes and misdemeanours 1719) Mind Your P's & Q's- To take care, how you speak, don't swear, be polite. There have been lots of different theories as to the origin of this, here are two-. .-Its origin is traced to the injunction of master printers to their apprentices to mind their p's and q's, there being great difficulty for a young compositor to tell the difference (City news notes and queries [afterw.] Manchester notes and queries. Ed. by J.H. Nodal. Vol.1-8. 1878) -Originally addressed to persons who were in the habit of running up scores of ale at London taverns, which were kept in columns of chalk figures on the walls, with the initial ' P.' or ' Q.' over each, indicating pint or quart.(The Knickerbocker; Or, New-York Monthly Magazine, Volume 20. 1842). They are both very good explanations, but they don't coincide with the meaning, or even come close. No-one really knows the origin of this, as far back as I can see, so here is another possibility, which actually makes sense. -For we are no less solicitous, for the Peace and Quiet of the Church, recommending to you, that all prudent and effectual course, may be pursued for the Peace and Quiet of the Church, for obedience to the good laws thereanent (The history of the sufferings of the Church of Scotland 1721) Peace & Quiet (p's & q's) is mentioned seventeen times in this book alone. Peace and quiet (or quietness) is mentioned numerous times in other documents from the early 1600's and probably before. More Money than you can Shake a Stick at It could be money, or anything that someone has an excess of, meaning that the person has way too much of whatever is being referred to. It's said that this originated from shaking a stick to ward off animal attacks, so if there are too many animals ready to attack, then shaking a stick isn't going to be much help. More Points Than a Porcupine- When you're speaking, you have a lot of points of defence, or you can figure out how to get your own way, by how you can keep bringing another argument in your own defence. If you wanted to get a skateboard, your mother might say that you'd hurt yourself? you would reply with "But I can wear a helmet", you mother might then say "the streets are dangerous", then you'd reply with something else, like "I could ride it at the skate park". This would go back and forth, then your mother might say "You've got more points than a porcupine" More Ways to Skin a Cat, than to Choke it with Butter- Or -There's more ways than one, to Skin a Cat. This means that there are other ways to achieve your goal, if it's not working for you one way, then try a different way? -" There are more ways than one to skin a cat," so are there more ways than one of digging for money. (The Money Diggers 1840). -Then I found out that a lot many other things could be killed by being choked to death with butter except the old fabled dog that was said to have been once choked in that manner. (Prohibition of Butter Substitutes: 1886) -You can have no more of a cat then her skin.(A Collection of English Proverbs: Digested Into a Convenient Method for the finding any one upon occasion By John Ray 1678) Move the Goalposts- To change the rules of something. If you're kicking for a goal and someone moves the goalposts, then there is no chance of obtaining that goal. Derived from association football or other games, that means to change the criterion (goal) of a process or competition while still in progress, in such a way that the new goal offers one side an intentional advantage or disadvantage. (wiki) |
To Make Both Ends Meet (extracts)
(a practical lesson)
The scheme has oft been try'd, but try'd in vain
One single end by adverse ways to gain
or, which doth equal ignorance betray
To reach two ends, by one un-bending way.
Unthought-of obstacles those hopes defeat
and neither ends, nor ways together meet.
Thus different way to different objects run
And none shall find them terminate in one.
To make our means and wishes equal bear,
Prudence enjoins economy and care
With this sure rule, she guards from direful scenes,
To make our wishes wait upon our means.
But, ah! this rule, how few can understand
to bring to practice with a steady hand
Folly decoys and pride all rank confounds
And fashion drives beyond the sober bounds
Here rich and poor in one delusion blend
Live but to squander and but gain to spend
Thus all around the woful proof repeat
That people seldom can make ends meet
Stop!, said the Sire, here be this lessons told
Seek not to grasp beyond what you can hold
Yet short your means, yet living not too fast
You may make both ends wisely meet at last
So let your views and actions always tend
Towards one centre of an honest end
A single aim shall life's best plan complete
and make both ends at last, with honour meet.
Then shall your private path, or public road
Both meet and end in one supreme abode
Thus whose will, may find their practice sweet
and wisely bring both ends at last to meet.
(from Poetic amusement By Thomas Beck 1809)
(a practical lesson)
The scheme has oft been try'd, but try'd in vain
One single end by adverse ways to gain
or, which doth equal ignorance betray
To reach two ends, by one un-bending way.
Unthought-of obstacles those hopes defeat
and neither ends, nor ways together meet.
Thus different way to different objects run
And none shall find them terminate in one.
To make our means and wishes equal bear,
Prudence enjoins economy and care
With this sure rule, she guards from direful scenes,
To make our wishes wait upon our means.
But, ah! this rule, how few can understand
to bring to practice with a steady hand
Folly decoys and pride all rank confounds
And fashion drives beyond the sober bounds
Here rich and poor in one delusion blend
Live but to squander and but gain to spend
Thus all around the woful proof repeat
That people seldom can make ends meet
Stop!, said the Sire, here be this lessons told
Seek not to grasp beyond what you can hold
Yet short your means, yet living not too fast
You may make both ends wisely meet at last
So let your views and actions always tend
Towards one centre of an honest end
A single aim shall life's best plan complete
and make both ends at last, with honour meet.
Then shall your private path, or public road
Both meet and end in one supreme abode
Thus whose will, may find their practice sweet
and wisely bring both ends at last to meet.
(from Poetic amusement By Thomas Beck 1809)