In George Washington's days, there were no cameras. One's image was
either sculpted or painted. Some paintings of George Washington showed him
standing behind a desk with one arm behind his back while others showed both
legs
and both arms. Prices charged by painters were not based on how many people
were to be painted, but by how many limbs were to be painted. Arms and legs
are "limbs," therefore painting them would cost the buyer more. Hence the
expression. "Okay, but it'll cost you an arm and a leg."
*********************************************************************
As incredible as it sounds, men and women took baths only twice a year!
(May and October) Women kept their hair covered, while men shaved their
heads (because of lice and bugs) and wore wigs. Wealthy men could afford
good wigs made from wool. The wigs couldn't be washed, so to clean them
they could carve out a loaf of bread, put the wig in the shell, and bake it
for 30 minutes. The heat would make the wig big and fluffy, hence the term
"big wig." Today we often use the term "here comes the Big Wig" because
someone appears to be or is powerful and wealthy.
****************************************************************
In the late 1700s, many houses consisted of a large room with only one
chair. Commonly, a long wide board was folded down from the wall and used for dining. The "head of the household" always sat in the chair while
everyone else ate sitting on the floor. Once in a while, a guest (who was
almost always a man) would be invited to sit in this chair during a meal
To sit in the chair meant you were important and in charge. Sitting in the
chair, one was called the "chair man." Today in business we use the
expression or title "Chairman or Chairman of the Board."
*********************************************************************
Needless to say, personal hygiene left much room for improvement. As a
result, many women and men had developed acne scars by adulthood. The
women would spread bee's wax over their facial skin to smooth out their
complexions. When they were speaking to each other, if a woman began to
stare at another woman's face she was told "mind your own bee's wax."
Should the woman smile, the wax would crack, hence the term "crack a smile."
Also, when they sat too close to the fire, the wax would melt and therefore >the >expression "losing face."
*********************************************************************
Ladies wore corsets which would lace up in the front. A tightly tied lace
was worn by a proper and dignified lady as in "straight laced.."
************************************************************
Common entertainment included playing cards. However, there w as a tax!
levied when purchasing playing cards but only applicable to the "ace of
>Spades." To avoid paying the tax, people would purchase 51 cards nstead.
et, since most games require 52 cards, these people were thought to be
stupid or dumb because they weren't "playing with a full deck.."
******************************************************
Early politicians required feedback from the public to determine what was
considered important to the people. Since there were no telephones, TV's
or radios, the politicians sent their assistants to local taverns, pubs, and >bars who were told to "go sip some ale" and listen to people's
conversations and political concerns. Many assistants we re dispatched at
different
times. "You go sip here" and "You go sip there." The two words "go sip"
were
eventually combined when referring to the local opinion and, thus we have
the term "gossip."
******************************************************
At local taverns, pubs, and bars, people drank from pint- and
quart-sized containers. A bar maid's job was to keep an eye on the
customers and keep the drinks coming. She had to pay close attention and
remember who was drinking in "pints" and who was drinking in "quarts,"
hence the term "minding your P's and Q's."
******************************************************
also, bet you didn't know this!!!!
In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters
carried iron cannons. Those cannons fired round iron cannon balls. It was necessary to keep a good supply near the cannon, but how to prevent
them from rolling about the deck?
The best storage method devised was a square based pyramid with one
ball on top, resting on four resting on nine, which rested on sixteen.
Thus, a supply of 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small area
Right next to the cannon
There was only one problem...how to prevent the bottom layer from
sliding or rolling from under the others.
The solution was a metal plate called a "Monkey" with 16 round
indentations. But, if this plate were made of iron, the iron balls
would quickly rust to it
The solution to the rusting problem was to make "Brass Monkeys."
Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much faster
than iron when chilled.
Consequently, when the temperature dropped too far, the brass
indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannon balls would come
right off the monkey.
Thus, it was quite literally, "Cold enough to freeze the balls off a
brass monkey." (And all this time, you thought that was an improper
expression, didn't you?)
either sculpted or painted. Some paintings of George Washington showed him
standing behind a desk with one arm behind his back while others showed both
legs
and both arms. Prices charged by painters were not based on how many people
were to be painted, but by how many limbs were to be painted. Arms and legs
are "limbs," therefore painting them would cost the buyer more. Hence the
expression. "Okay, but it'll cost you an arm and a leg."
*********************************************************************
As incredible as it sounds, men and women took baths only twice a year!
(May and October) Women kept their hair covered, while men shaved their
heads (because of lice and bugs) and wore wigs. Wealthy men could afford
good wigs made from wool. The wigs couldn't be washed, so to clean them
they could carve out a loaf of bread, put the wig in the shell, and bake it
for 30 minutes. The heat would make the wig big and fluffy, hence the term
"big wig." Today we often use the term "here comes the Big Wig" because
someone appears to be or is powerful and wealthy.
****************************************************************
In the late 1700s, many houses consisted of a large room with only one
chair. Commonly, a long wide board was folded down from the wall and used for dining. The "head of the household" always sat in the chair while
everyone else ate sitting on the floor. Once in a while, a guest (who was
almost always a man) would be invited to sit in this chair during a meal
To sit in the chair meant you were important and in charge. Sitting in the
chair, one was called the "chair man." Today in business we use the
expression or title "Chairman or Chairman of the Board."
*********************************************************************
Needless to say, personal hygiene left much room for improvement. As a
result, many women and men had developed acne scars by adulthood. The
women would spread bee's wax over their facial skin to smooth out their
complexions. When they were speaking to each other, if a woman began to
stare at another woman's face she was told "mind your own bee's wax."
Should the woman smile, the wax would crack, hence the term "crack a smile."
Also, when they sat too close to the fire, the wax would melt and therefore >the >expression "losing face."
*********************************************************************
Ladies wore corsets which would lace up in the front. A tightly tied lace
was worn by a proper and dignified lady as in "straight laced.."
************************************************************
Common entertainment included playing cards. However, there w as a tax!
levied when purchasing playing cards but only applicable to the "ace of
>Spades." To avoid paying the tax, people would purchase 51 cards nstead.
et, since most games require 52 cards, these people were thought to be
stupid or dumb because they weren't "playing with a full deck.."
******************************************************
Early politicians required feedback from the public to determine what was
considered important to the people. Since there were no telephones, TV's
or radios, the politicians sent their assistants to local taverns, pubs, and >bars who were told to "go sip some ale" and listen to people's
conversations and political concerns. Many assistants we re dispatched at
different
times. "You go sip here" and "You go sip there." The two words "go sip"
were
eventually combined when referring to the local opinion and, thus we have
the term "gossip."
******************************************************
At local taverns, pubs, and bars, people drank from pint- and
quart-sized containers. A bar maid's job was to keep an eye on the
customers and keep the drinks coming. She had to pay close attention and
remember who was drinking in "pints" and who was drinking in "quarts,"
hence the term "minding your P's and Q's."
******************************************************
also, bet you didn't know this!!!!
In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters
carried iron cannons. Those cannons fired round iron cannon balls. It was necessary to keep a good supply near the cannon, but how to prevent
them from rolling about the deck?
The best storage method devised was a square based pyramid with one
ball on top, resting on four resting on nine, which rested on sixteen.
Thus, a supply of 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small area
Right next to the cannon
There was only one problem...how to prevent the bottom layer from
sliding or rolling from under the others.
The solution was a metal plate called a "Monkey" with 16 round
indentations. But, if this plate were made of iron, the iron balls
would quickly rust to it
The solution to the rusting problem was to make "Brass Monkeys."
Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much faster
than iron when chilled.
Consequently, when the temperature dropped too far, the brass
indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannon balls would come
right off the monkey.
Thus, it was quite literally, "Cold enough to freeze the balls off a
brass monkey." (And all this time, you thought that was an improper
expression, didn't you?)