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Idioms, Phrases, and Acronyms of the English Language

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The first post of this thread is a WikiPost and can be edited by anyone with the appropiate permissions. Your edits will be public.
Gum bases used as a thickener and emulsifier will cause that to happen, Chown.
 
LizKat said:
Love that song -- and the video, which I took as commentary by them about what you just posted.

I've said too much...
I haven't said enough...

[in other words: y'all probably not gonna get this]
​
---

Speaking of ropes: there's an expression called "toe the line" which grammars and dictionaries regard as the correct spelling of the phrase. It means to follow the rules someone else has laid out, and stems from track and field events, for instance, where contestants must place a foot on a mark or line and not cross it before told to go ahead.

There is some confusion or let's say rebellion on this matter, among some who prefer to spell the expression as "tow the line" -- which is meant in a marine sense. For instance, a tugboat which has towing lines attached to it is leading the way. So to be towing a line in that sense is not to obey an order but to give it, to show the way, to lead. I grew up with that understanding of the expression thanks to some boating maniacs in the family. When they said to me "yes young lady I heard you but I'm towing the line here, not you" they didn't mean they were obeying some rule, they meant I had crossed some line they had long since drawn and that I at that moment was in deep, deep water.

Have a confusing day!
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Great post.

Ah, it was always "toe the line" where I grew up, precisely for the reasons you have stated in your post.
 
Would the borrowed word "kowtow" qualify for this thread? It's a relatively new adoption hailing from the early 1800s as scores of Chinese settled in the Americas and greater Europe. It's not used as often anymore. I suspect that at the height of its fame, it was used in speech with only a vague idea of what it meant.
 
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Zenithal said:
Would the borrowed word "kowtow" qualify for this thread? It's a relatively new adoption hailing from the early 1800s as scores of Chinese settled in the Americas and greater Europe. It's not used as often anymore. I suspect that at the height of its fame, it was used in speech with only a vague idea of what it meant.
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Actually, that expression is still used in British English.
 
In over your head- relatively easy to understand, a reference to water, but not being able, struggling to deal with a situation. Just used that in a forum post! :)
 
Another one with "head" is "head over heels". As a non-native speaker this has always puzzled me, as the state of being head over heels actually sounds like a pretty normal state to be in, but it turns out the phrase originated in the 14th century as "heels over head", which makes a little more sense, and has since evolved to the current form.

Head over heels, as I understand it, refers to somersaults, general tumbling around and such, and in a little less literal sense to feelings of excitement, which could lead to a person performing the aforementioned gymnastic routines.
 
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Mefisto said:
Another one with "head" is "head over heels". As a non-native speaker this has always puzzled me, as the state of being head over heels actually sounds like a pretty normal state to be in, but it turns out the phrase originated in the 14th century as "heels over head", which makes a little more sense, and has since evolved to the current form.

Head over heels, as I understand it, refers to somersaults, general tumbling around and such, and in a little less literal sense to feelings of excitement, which could lead to a person performing the aforementioned gymnastic routines.
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Romantic, he’s head over heals for her, associated with acrobatics doing flips over (because of) attraction for someone.
 
Huntn said:
Romantic, he’s head over heals for her, associated with acrobatics doing flips over (because of) attraction for someone.
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In our part of the world, that is usually expressed, quite straightforwardly, as: "He's head over heels in love with her". (Rarely, though, is it a case where "she is head over heels in love with him.")
 
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Zenithal said:
Gum bases used as a thickener and emulsifier will cause that to happen, Chown.
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That doesn't seem like a typical additive for molasses, and even less so in 1919. So I was wondering if molasses itself were thixotropic.

I didn't find it earlier, but the following article lists molasses as exhibiting shear thinning (viscosity decrease with stress):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-Newtonian_fluid
 
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Scepticalscribe said:
In our part of the world, that is usually expressed, quite straightforwardly, as: "He's head over heels in love with her". (Rarely, though, is it a case where "she is head over heels in love with him.")
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Girls do have crushes though. :)

84A673C2-8E85-4735-A8EE-7D52318EDE84.jpeg
Head over heals?
Girls temporarily loosing their minds for the Beatles. :D​
 
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When it comes to the etymology of English words there’s no substitute for the Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford also publishes a reference to English idioms.

I have a small collection of dictionaries. Silly hobby, I know. Someday I’ll buy a complete set of OED. I enjoy reading the source of words, where they first existed and their deviation in meaning over time.
 
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Gutwrench said:
When it comes to the etymology of English words there’s no substitute for the Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford also publishes a reference to English idioms.

I have a small collection of dictionaries. Silly hobby, I know. Someday I’ll buy a complete set of OED. I enjoy reading the source of words, where they first existed and their deviation in meaning over time.
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So you probably know the word that means "one whose hobby is collecting dictionaries".

Or at least you can look it up.
 
chown33 said:
So you probably know the word that means "one whose hobby is collecting dictionaries".

Or at least you can look it up.
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No, I’ll have to look it up. :( I was once a notaphilist but no longer. I just wanted to frame every coin and note from a penny to a $1000 bill (US currency).
 
you couldn't arrange a p*** up in a brewery

knock me down with a feather

if your brains where dynamite, you'd not hear the bang.

my fiancee favourite:
I'll hit you so hard even google won't be able find you.
 
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Tongue in Cheek vs Straight Face
References a facial expression actually sticking one’s tongue in one’s cheek so the cheek bulges, something said in an ironic manner, not meant to be taken seriously, humorously, but is more often referenced descriptively. It was said tongue in cheek. It is the antithesis of the phrase, with a straight face, expressing a thought or observation with a sincere expression, but often associated with lack of sincerity. You can say this with a straight face?
https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/tongue-in-cheek.html
 
Huntn said:
Tongue in Cheek vs Straight Face
References a facial expression actually sticking one’s tongue in one’s cheek so the cheek bulges, something said in an ironic manner, not meant to be taken seriously, humorously, but is more often referenced descriptively. It was said tongue in cheek. It is the antithesis of the phrase, with a straight face, expressing a thought or observation with a sincere expression, but often associated with lack of sincerity. You can say this with a straight face?
https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/tongue-in-cheek.html
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I often prefer deadpan, which is tongue-in-cheek content delivered with a straight face.
 
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Gutwrench said:
I enjoy reading the source of words, where they first existed and their deviation in meaning over time.
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Me too. It's also interesting that English is a Germanic language and it's cool to see the resemblance between the two languages.

"This is good." ... "Das ist gut."

"He is my friend." ... "Er ist mein freund."

"I am hungry." ... "Ich habe hunger." (literally - I have hunger)
 
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AustinIllini said:
  • "Bless your heart!" - In Texas - “I am going to act as though I feel sorry for you to be polite". Generally, someone says this when they don't really feel sorry for said person
  • "y'all" - Contraction used widely in the American south for "You all". Can be singular or plural, but usually plural
  • "all y'all" - All encompassing contraction from American South
  • "Rule of Thumb" - A general guideline when a strict rule isn't present. Derivation (despite some claims to the contrary) is unknown
  • "The whole nine yards" - Referring to everything
  • "Put out to pasture" - Generally refers to forcing someone to retire due to old age
  • "Since Moses wore short pants" - Implying something has been some way for a very long time
  • "Waiting like patience on a monument" - Used when someone is extremely impatient or frustrated with waiting
  • "Irregardless" - a malaprop of "irrespective" or "regardless"
  • "Get a taste of their own medicine" - Get treated the way you've been treating others (negative)
  • "A perfect storm" - the absolute worst situation
  • "Wild goose chase" - a pointless endeavor
  • "That ship has sailed" - it's too late
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Bless your heart can also be a positive endearment for a variety of reasons.
 
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