Common Phrases

[Sark79]

Have you ever wondered where some of our most common phrases originated from?

Bring home the bacon = comes from winning a greased pig as a prize at the country fair

romp home = refers to horse racing

horses for courses = some horses run better on certain courses

lick into shape = refers to the belief that some bear cubs are born shapeless and have to be licked into shape by their mothers

toe the line = refers to competitors having to stand with their toes on the line at the start of a race 

[Colchester Kev]

Ok i have a couple of questions ...

Where does the saying "Gordon Bennet" come from

Why the term "Bubble" in poker (although this will be renamed the "tikay" soon enough)

And why a "Full Boat" instead of a "Full House"

[Sark79]

Ok i have a couple of questions ...



And why a "Full Boat" instead of a "Full House"

Maybe because poker used to be played on river boats on the Mississippi(sp?).  Not sure, just a guess

[dik9]

Passing the Buck, I am lead to believe originated in poker, when a dollar coin was used as the dealer button.

[RED-DOG]

Gordon Bennet was sent to find Dr Livingstone, when he did, Livingstone said in surprise "Gordon Bennet, fancy meeting you here!"

[KeithyB]

Gordon Bennet was sent to find Dr Livingstone, when he did, Livingstone said in surprise "Gordon Bennet, fancy meeting you here!"

Wasn't it Stanley who met Dr Livingstone?

Apologies if this is a case of Red-Dog wit that has gone "whoosh" over my head here!   

[RED-DOG]

Gordon Bennet was sent to find Dr Livingstone, when he did, Livingstone said in surprise "Gordon Bennet, fancy meeting you here!"

Wasn't it Stanley who met Dr Livingstone?

Apologies if this is a case of Red-Dog wit that has gone "whoosh" over my head here!   

No, you're right, I just looked it up, Gordon Bennet,  founder of the New York Times, sent Stanley to find Livingstone

[RED-DOG]

I also found this



Gordon Bennett!
Meaning

An exclamation of surprise - one of the many euphemisms that avoid the use of the word God.

Origin

James Gordon Bennet II, 1841 - 1918 is the man referred to, and was quite a colourful character. One of his many reported exploits was an incident where he flew an aeroplane through an open barn. The surprised onlookers were supposed to have said 'That was Gordon Bennett!', and hence onward to the current shortened phrase. Became popular again during the 1980s but is again falling out of use.

[KeithyB]

Cheers Red.

Flying an aeroplane through an open barn eh?   Well worthy of a .....  GORDON BENNETT!!!!!!  I'd say.   

[tikay]

Gordon Bennett?

When my ex-Chairman, John Kirkland OBE, purchased Wigwell Grange, a mini-stately home standing in 600 acres near Wirksworth in Derbyshire, it was semi-derelict, & had fallen into disrepair under it's previous owner - one Gordon Bennett!

[KeithyB]

Gordon Bennett?

When my ex-Chairman, John Kirkland OBE, purchased Wigwell Grange, a mini-stately home standing in 600 acres near Wirksworth in Derbyshire, it was semi-derelict, & had fallen into disrepair under it's previous owner - one Gordon Bennett!

 LOL ...... and Gordon had probably employed Heath Robinson as his builder then!!    ( that's the other name my dad always comes out with in his exclamations!    )

[Sark79]

Passing the Buck, I am lead to believe originated in poker, when a dollar coin was used as the dealer button.

Yep, you are right. This was taken from TOTAL POKER writen by David Spanier " the man who immortalized the expression 'the buck stops here' . ( The buck is a counter that is passed around the tables to designate the man who has to ante up and deal. Hence the phrase 'passing the buck' ) ". He said this when talking about President Harry Truman, who was supposedly the first to use this expression.

I once told this to an old Politics teacher, he thought I was talking crap.