badbobby Loc: texas

A SHOT OF WHISKEY'

In the old west a .45 cartridge for a six-gun cost 12 cents, so did a glass of whiskey. If a cowhand was low on cash he would often give the bartender a cartridge in exchange for a drink.

This became known as a "shot" of whiskey.



THE WHOLE NINE YARDS

American fighter planes in WW2 had machine guns that were fed by a belt of cartridges. The average plane held belts that were 27 feet (9 yards) long.

If the pilot used up all his ammo he was said to have given it the whole nine yards.



BUYING THE FARM

This is synonymous with dying. During WW1 soldiers were given life insurance policies worth $5,000.

This was about the price of an average farm, so if you died you "bought the farm" for your survivors.




IRON CLAD CONTRACT

This came about from the ironclad ships of the Civil War. It meant something so strong it could not be broken.




PASSING THE BUCK/THE BUCK STOPS HERE

Most men in the early west carried a jack knife made by the Buck knife company.

When playing poker it as common to place one of these Buck Knives in front of the dealer so that everyone knew who he was.

When it was time for a new dealer the deck of cards and the knife were given to the new dealer.

If this person didn't want to deal he would "pass the buck" to the next player. If that player accepted, then "the buck stopped there".

RIFF RAFF

The Mississippi River was the main way of traveling from north to south.

Riverboats carried passengers and freight but they were expensive so most people used rafts.

Everything had the right of way over rafts which were considered cheap.

The steering oar on the rafts was called a "riff" and this transposed into riff-raff, meaning low-class.

COBWEB

The Old English word for "spider" was "cob".

SHIP STATEROOMS

Traveling by steamboat was considered the height of comfort.

Passenger cabins on the boats were not numbered. Instead they were named after states.

To this day cabins on ships are called "staterooms".

SLEEP TIGHT

Early beds were made with a wooden frame. Ropes were tied across the frame in a crisscross pattern.

A straw mattress was placed on top of the ropes. Over time the ropes stretched, causing the bed to sag.

The owner would then tighten the ropes to get a better night's sleep.

SHOWBOATING

These were floating theaters built on a barge pushed by a steamboat.

These played small towns along the Mississippi River.

Unlike the boat shown in the movie Showboat , these did not have engines.

They were gaudy and attention-grabbing, which is why we say someone who is the life of the party is "showboating".

OVER A BARREL

In the days before CPR a drowning victim would be placed face-down over a barrel and the barrel would be rolled back and forth in a effort to empty the lungs of water.

It was rarely effective, hence, if you are over a barrel you are in deep trouble.

BARGE IN

Heavy freight was moved along the Mississippi in large barges pushed by steamboats.

T hey were hard to control and would sometimes swing into piers or other boats. People would say they "barged in".

HOGWASH

Steamboats carried both people and animals. Since pigs smelled so bad they would be washed before being put on board.

The mud and other filth that was washed off was considered useless "hogwash".

CURFEW

The word "curfew" comes from the French phrase "couvre-feu", which means "cover the fire". It was used to describe the time of blowing out all lamps and candles.

It was later adopted into Middle English as "curfeu", which later became the modern "curfew".

In the early American colonies, homes had no real fireplaces, so a fire was built in the center of the room.

In order to make sure it did not get out of control during the night it was required that, by an agreed-upon time, all fires would be covered with a clay pot called-a "curfew".



BARRELS OF OIL

When the first oil wells were drilled they had made no provision for storing the liquid so they used water barrels.

To this day, we speak of barrels of oil rather than gallons .

HOT OFF THE PRESS

As the paper goes through the rotary printing press friction causes it to heat.

Therefore, if you grab the paper right off the press, it’s hot. The expression means: to get immediate information.

bahmer

Very good badbobby I always wondered how some names came to be thanks for these.

Noraa Loc: Kansas

Very interesting and informative not to mention entertaining. Thanks!!

okie don

The study of words and phrases is fascinating.
Take WORD...
Words can hurt.
Put an 'S' in front and it's SWORD.
(:

badbobby Loc: texas

that's amazin okie

Old Dog

Thanks BB, at 83 it's always refreshing to learn something new

billy a Loc: South Florida

Thanks,B.B....I've always thought being "over a barrel" meant I was about to be sodomized.
"The I.R.S.had me over a barrel".
I appreciate you cleaning that up for me.

badbobby Loc: texas

never heard from you before Old Dog
but certainly am glad to do so
BTW
got nine years on you
and still learning

Mike Easterday

Thanks for the lessons!

Noraa Loc: Kansas

badbobby Loc: texas

aw go on and say it Nora
I kin take it

Noraa Loc: Kansas

I didn't know you were that old. Love ya Badbobby!

Noraa Loc: Kansas

You should have been on the Supreme Court!

bahmer

Badbobby is a wise old bird and he has been married to the
same woman for 70 years. He is also very fortunate to have
found a woman of that strong a character that would put
up with him that long.

Noraa Loc: Kansas

70 years! And I thought I was doing good being married for 38 years! Congrats Badbobby!!!