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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 558
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In George Washington's days
In George Washington's days
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 co
st 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
0Aand 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 was 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 ca
rds 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 m
any 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.)
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