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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
C
Call Your Bluff- To call someone's bluff means to mislead someone into thinking that you're going to do something, or something is going to happen, when it really isn't, as in tricking someone. 1665-75; perhaps < Low German bluffen to bluster, frighten; akin to Middle Dutch bluffen to make a trick at cards (Dictionary.com) Can't Put My Finger on it- Means that something is different about a person or situation, but you just can't explain what it is. If someone gets their hair cut, you know that the person looks different, but you haven't figured out why. "There's something odd about this place and I just can't put my finger on it" (you don't know what is odd). The term stems from it's Latin origin of the word Palpable, which means, unable to be felt by touch, or not easily comprehended. Cheesed Off- To be annoyed or disgusted about something or someone. "I'm cheesed off with you" A slang term of unknown origin. Chinese Whispers- Is when you tell someone a story or some gossip and by the time it has been told to several other people, it has totally lost it's original meaning. The same is also played as a game. Some say that it's origin lies in the fact that the Chinese language is very hard to understand, so can get distorted in the translation. Chip in- This usually means to help out with money, Also used as in- "come on, chip in and help out?" This has a gambling background, as when all of the poker players places their chips in the middle of the table, so then ultimately, they have all contributed to the winning amount. Chip Off the Old Block- Usually referring to a child who is like his father, either in appearance or ability. As the wood is chopped, all of the chips have originally come from the same block. This saying may go as far back as Theocritus, when in 270 BC, he said he preferred 'a chip of old flint'. Chip on Your Shoulder- To have a chip on your shoulder (chip of wood), means that you are harbouring a grudge, or resentment about something which leads you to have an negative outlook. This saying is of American origin, as young boys who were ready for a fight, would put a chip of wood on their shoulder and challenge someone to knock it off. Chock a Block- If something is 'Chock a Block' then it is very full or to it's capacity. This comes from Sailors, as when two blocks of a tackle are already hard together and can't be tightened any more. Climb on the Bandwagon- To climb on the Band wagon can be taken two ways, firstly to come on-board to support someone, or to take someone else's idea to further your own gain. As in- someone gets the idea to make a new product, then others start to make a similar product from that original idea. In early American history, a band would play through the streets in a horse drawn wagon, during a political rally. The candidate would be on-board and promoting his policies, so supporters would then jump on-board as well, but not all who jumped aboard were true supporters. Cloud Cuckoo Land- This refers to a state of absurdly over-optimistic fantasy or an unrealistically idealistic state where everything is perfect. The term "to live in cloud cuckoo land" is used for a person who thinks that things that are completely impossible might happen, rather than understanding how things really are. It also hints that the person referred to is naïve, unaware of realities or deranged in holding such an optimistic belief. (wiki) It originally came from an Ancient Greek satirical play, 'The Birds' 414 BC by Aristophanes. Cock and Bull Story- Is a story that is far from the truth. The term is believed to have originated from stage coach travellers' gossip and rumour exchanged between two coaching inns, The Cock & The Bull in Stony Stratford, England. (wiki) Coin a Phrase- Meaning originally, to introduce a new saying. Now it means to use a cliché phrase, or a common well known expression. Back when currency was originally being minted, the pressing and stamping of this process, was coining, which produced a coin. From as early as the 16th century, anything new that was introduced, as in phrases or new words, was referred to also as coining. Couldn't Lie Straight in Bed- Meaning, you couldn't tell the truth if you tried. The person is a compulsive liar Old Australian Slang. Crocodile Tears- Crocodile tears are shed when you're not really sad or upset, but just pretending to be, so that you can get someone's attention. The phrase derives from an ancient belief that crocodiles shed tears while consuming their prey. Cross Your Fingers- For good luck There are two main theories regarding the origins of finger-crossing for luck. The first dates to a pre-Christianity Pagan belief in Western Europe in the powerful symbolism of a cross. The practice of wishing upon a cross in those early European cultures evolved to where people would cross their index finger over that of someone expressing a wish to show support. Eventually, wish-makers realized they could go it alone, first crossing their two index fingers and finally adopting the one-handed practice we still use today. The alternate explanation cites the early days of Christianity, when practitioners were persecuted for their beliefs. To recognize fellow Christians, people developed a series of hand gestures, one of which involved forming the ichthys, or fish symbol, by touching thumbs and crossing index fingers. This theory doesn't fully explain how luck initially became associated with the gesture. (Mental Floss.com) Cross Your Heart and Hope to Die- Means that if you've been told a secret, you will never tell anyone. Or, that you will promise to do something. Most likely, this has Religious origins, relating to the Crucifixion of Christ. Cry Wolf- To Cry Wolf, is to raise a false alarm. To ask for help when it's not needed. When you do eventually really need help, no-one will come, because they think that it's a false alarm again. The Boy Who Cried Wolf, was one of Aesop's Fables. A young shepherd amuses himself by calling for help, saying a wolf is threatening his flock when nothing is really happening. Cut and Run- To make a quick get away, to make a run for it. Centuries ago, anchor cables on ships were made of hemp and not chain, so if the ship had to avoid a situation or the enemy, they would just cut the cable and run with the wind to get away quickly. Cut and Dry- Means something that is prearranged or inflexible and decided in advance and can't be changed. Probably originates from the cutting and drying of either fruit, herbs or wood, it's done, you can't 'un-dry' them. Cut No Ice- To be powerless to influence someone, your opinion will not make any difference to them. This expression comes from late 19th century ice skating in America, where blunt ice skates won't cut the ice, or make an impression on the ice. Cut to the Quick- You feel extreme hurt or pain over something that has happened,or something that was said. The Quick is the area alongside of the fingernails and if pulled, will cause very sensitive pain. |