AP Notes 161-180 Flashcards
In trying to be funny, many people will rely on sarcasm. The most poignant and often cutting or hurtful, sarcasm is founded in truth. It is often detrimental to a relationship to pick on someone in front of others even if you are basically telling the truth. This phrase appears in Canterbury Tales and is spoken by the cook.
Many a true word is spoken in Jest
Comes form the early pub days when beer and ale was served in pint and quart containers. The tab was kept on a chalk board used to count pints and quarts consumed. To watch your ________ is to control your alcoholic intake and behavior. Today it has come to mean demonstrating the best civil and social behavior.
To mind you Ps and Qs
An expression that has been attributed to many from Ohenry describing a perfect woman to a cowboy saying that mean the real thing. Other theories are that it is a corruption of the military or phrase “to pass muster” (to show) Which means to assemble troops for inspection, adding vinegar to ground-up mustard seed to “cut” the bitter taste. To achieve a desired standard.
To Cut the Mustard
Two full moons in the same month are extremely rare, though they do happen. A second full moon has come to be called a blue moon. This is apparently because the Maine’s Farmers used to list the date of the second moon in blue.
Once in a Blue Moon
In medieval London, people did not have indoor plumbing. It was common to use a chamber pot as an indoor toilet. The chamber pot could then be dumped out a window into the street gutter below. A person who did not have ______ was poor indeed. This word originally was not deemed vulgar, until the Victorian era.
Pot to Piss in
To ______ comes from the British game of Snooker. It’s the forerunner to the game as in Billiards or Pool. Similar to pool, Snooker had cue sticks, balls, and a felt table often with pockets. A technique used in this game is to impart a spin to the ball to alter its travel. To impart a spin to something in an effort to make it hard to control, usually a ball in sports like tennis, baseball, soccer or football.
To Put English on it
Means to exceed expectations. Comes from sailing ships that when passing other ships at sea, would fly their flags in f they wanted to be identified.
Passed with Flying Colors
Used to be a literal event. Bobbies in Britain used to read a prescribed proclamation, known as this terms before they could break up or arrest a crowd. It’s used in a fashion similar to the Miranda rights in the US. Police would approach a crowd, read the act aloud and then disperse or arrest them. To complain or lecture loudly.
Reading the Riot Act
Before Box springs were in use, old bed frames used rope pulled tightly between the frame rails to support the mattress. If the ripe between became loose, the mattress would sag, making for an uncomfortable sleeping. Tightening the rope would help one get a good nights sleep. Thus, ______ was a functional aspect that became an idiomatic expression.
Sleep Tight!
British ships in the 1700s including the HMs victory did not have the best of living conditions. A sailor’s breakfast and lunch were sparse meals consisting of little more than bread and a beverage. But the third meal in included meat and was served on a square tray. Eating a substantial meal onboard a ship required a tray to carry it all. The most substantial meal has come to be the nutritious.
A Square Meal
This phrase comes from the Bible and describes the path to heaven. Matthew 7:14 to be exact: “Broad is the way that is the path of destruction, but narrow is the gate and straight is the way which adeth to the house of God.” To walk the _____ means to stay out of trouble.
Straight and Narrow
The phrase comes from the 18th/19th century English Naval terminology. Original phrase was _______ and referred to the eradic behavior of a ship that has lost control of its sails. This, can lead to English one more of the 2,229+ synonyms for “drunk.” The ships lack of control is likened to that of a stumbling drunk.
Three Sheets to the Wind
Many mistakenly think the phrase is “tow” thus obscuring the meaning, this term comes from a military lineups for inspection. Soldiers are expected to line up to ____ and submit to inspection.
Toe the Line
This phrase originally with the advent of sandlot baseball. In order to determine which team would bat first, one player would grasp the baseball bat at the lower end. A player from the opposing team would then place his hand directly above the first player’s hand.
Upper hand
From the Burmese belief that albino elephants are sacred. They can’t be sued for work and they must be lavished, the ultimates amount of care. Giving a gift of a white elephant would be considered an enemy.
White Elephant
