Old sayings revised.

RiverRatRay · Post by **RiverRatRay** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 1:39 am

When in doubt, scream!

BubbleGumTiger · Post by **BubbleGumTiger** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:05 am

Dumb as a stump .....

BubbleGumTiger · Post by **BubbleGumTiger** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 7:32 am

That is par for the course .....

BubbleGumTiger · Post by **BubbleGumTiger** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 5:44 pm

SON OF A GUN

After sailors had crossed the Atlantic to the West Indies, they would take the native women on board the ship and have their way with them in between the cannons. Some of the women the sailors left behind would have boys, who were called sons between the guns.

BubbleGumTiger · Post by **BubbleGumTiger** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 7:26 am

The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.

BubbleGumTiger · Post by **BubbleGumTiger** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 7:39 am

You ain't just whistlin dixie .....

BubbleGumTiger · Post by **BubbleGumTiger** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 10:27 pm

ACHILLES HEEL

In Greek mythology Thetis dipped her son in the mythical River Styx. Anyone who was immersed in the river became invulnerable. However Thetis held Achilles by his heel. Since her hand covered this part of his body the water did not touch it and so it remained vulnerable. Achilles was eventually killed when an arrow hit his heel.

BubbleGumTiger · Post by **BubbleGumTiger** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 7:26 am

AM I MY BROTHERS KEEPER?

Like many phrases in the English language this one come from the Bible. In Genesis Cain murdered his brother Abel. God asked Cain 'Where is your brother?'. Cain answered 'I don't know. Am I my brothers keeper?'.

BubbleGumTiger · Post by **BubbleGumTiger** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 8:32 pm

BAKERS DOZEN

Means thirteen. It is said to come from the days when bakers were severely punished for baking underweight loaves. Some added a loaf to a batch of a dozen to be above suspicion.

BubbleGumTiger · Post by **BubbleGumTiger** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 8:50 am

A crow making noise on your rooftop foretells the arrival of a guest....

BubbleGumTiger · Post by **BubbleGumTiger** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 8:40 am

BEE LINE

In the past people believed that bees flew in a straight line to their hive. So if you made a bee line for something you went straight for it.

BubbleGumTiger · Post by **BubbleGumTiger** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 7:29 am

BEYOND THE PALE

Originally a pale was an area under the authority of a certain official. In the 14th and 15th centuries the English king ruled Dublin and the surrounding area known as the pale. Anyone 'beyond the pale' was seen as savage and dangerous.

BubbleGumTiger · Post by **BubbleGumTiger** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 6:09 pm

BIG WIG

In the 18th century when many men wore wigs, the most important men wore the biggest wigs. Hence today important people are called big wigs.

BubbleGumTiger · Post by **BubbleGumTiger** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 7:34 am

BITE THE BULLET

Means to grin and bear a painful situation. It comes from the days before anaesthetics. A soldier about to undergo an operation was given a bullet to bite.

BubbleGumTiger · Post by **BubbleGumTiger** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 7:40 am

BITES THE DUST

This phrase comes from a translation of the epic Ancient Greek poem the Illiad about the war between the Greeks and the Trojans. It was poetic way of describing the death of a warrior.

BubbleGumTiger · Post by **BubbleGumTiger** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 9:46 am

BITTER END

Anchor cable was wrapped around posts called bitts. The last piece of cable was called the bitter end. If you let out the cable to the bitter end there was nothing else you could do, you had reached the end of your resources.

BubbleGumTiger · Post by **BubbleGumTiger** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 8:03 am

Ashes of love are cold as ice ....

BubbleGumTiger · Post by **BubbleGumTiger** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 8:44 am

Bury the hatchet ...

BubbleGumTiger · Post by **BubbleGumTiger** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 8:42 am

Caught with your pants down....

BubbleGumTiger · Post by **BubbleGumTiger** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 7:42 pm

Take a back seat ....