WHY WE SAY THAT.......HISTORY

Subject: WHY WE SAY THAT.......HISTORY
LITTLE PIECES OF HISTORY!
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.'
(Artists know hands and arms are more difficult to
paint)
*******
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. They couldn't wash t he
wigs, so to clean them they would 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
1700's, many houses consisted of a large room with only
one chair. Commonly, a long wide board folded down from the wall, and was
used for dining. The 'head of the
household' always sat in the chair while everyone else
ate sitting on the floor. Occasionally a guest, who was
usually 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. They called the one sitting in the chair the
'chair man.' Today in business, we use the
expression or title 'Chairman' or 'Chairman of
the Board..'
*******
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 WA s told, 'mind your own bee's wax..'
Should the woman smile, the wax would crack, hence the term 'crack a
smile'. In addition, when they sat
too close to the fire, the wax would melt . . . Therefore,
the expression 'losing face.'
*******
Ladies wore corsets, which would
lace up in the front. A proper and dignified woman, as in
'straight laced'. . Wore a tightly tied
lace.
*******
Common entertainment included playing cards. However, there was 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 instead.
Yet, 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 the
people considered important. Since there were no telephones, TV's or
radios, the politicians sent their assistants to local taverns, pubs, and
bars. They were told to 'go sip some ale' and listen to people's
conversations and political concerns.. Many assistants were 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 '
*******
One more and betting 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. However, 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.
However, 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 cannonballs would come right off the
monkey. Thus, it was quite literally, 'Cold enough to freeze the balls off
a brass
monkey.' (All this time, you thought that was an
improper expression, didn't you.)