Indeed.murkiness
My brother came out with that phrase last week as we were driving past storm clouds on the horizon. I asked where he'd first heard it and it was from an old boy in his village (Herts). The BBC site suggested that Bill was Kaiser Wilhelm II - but lots of things are attributed to Kaiser Bill by the BBC and the D. Telegraph, almost a fandom.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-37550178
Max doesn't go on any 'wild goose chase' though.I’ve heard the expression “Round Will’s mother’s” used to mean an unnecessarily circuitous route or a wild goose chase. It’s probably just a local variant.
maximus otter
'Wild Goose Chase:' comes from the 1500s, actions, like following horses on a cross-country run, as the riders fan out like that of wild Geese that fly in 'V' formation.I’ve heard the expression “Round Will’s mother’s” used to mean an unnecessarily circuitous route or a wild goose chase. It’s probably just a local variant.
maximus otter
"Close but no cigar"
This is a common phrase often uttered when someone tries to do something but fails. Sometimes accurately when someone very almost achieves what they were attempting, sometimes sarcastically when the attempt fell well short.
But why do we choose to use the 'cigar' as the award for achieving the attempted result? ...
The common (but not absolutely confirmed ... ) explanation of the phrase derives from American carnivals and fairgrounds at least as early as the first third of the 20th century (and perhaps even earlier).
A century or more ago these venues' skill-based (e.g., shooting; throwing) games frequently offered a cigar as the top prize. In this context the phrase basically means "Nice try."
Perhaps for us commoners, a ship is beyond us lol.Why do we say 'pushing the boat out' when describing something being done in it's most extravagant fashion?
I can't think that I have ever 'pushed a boat out', other than a rowing boat, and I would have been in the boat, pushing off from the bank.
And if you're going to tell me it comes from the action of launching ships then surely the phrase we should be using would be "launching the ship".
No, precisely for the reasons of scale & hierarchy stated:then surely the phrase we should be using would be "launching the ship"
Indeed it is; for we are all in that same metaphorical boat. Ships are synonymous with substantial size, and can/do often contain boats (whereas a boat can never contain a ship).for us commoners, a ship is beyond us lol
A Sailing Yacht, a sail-Boat, a sailing Ship ~ all floating Vessels?No, precisely for the reasons of scale & hierarchy stated:
Indeed it is; for we are all in that same metaphorical boat. Ships are synonymous with substantial size, and can/do often contain boats (whereas a boat can never contain a ship).
Ships are never owned (or controlled) by individuals, other than pirate captains (meaning in matters maritime & metaphysical). They are owned by nations, companies, lines or navies. They are sleek swift sharp racehorses of executive intent: the polar opposite of utilitarian basic boats.
I'd always felt that the expression 'pushing the boat out' had connotations with unusual/extreme effort or expenditure (physical or financial): certainly uncertain unassured outcomes.
Instead of staying safe& close to the shore, bounded by the humble harbours of home, we are getting into some kind of deeper water, uncharted lands or challenging circumstance.
An allied thought: is a yacht an ostentatious boat, or an understated ship?
Y...e..s....but: I'm not sure I'm taking on board quite what the significance of that is.all floating Vessels?
Well... a 'boat' is a small ship, and we all think of a yacht as having (using) a sail which does separate yacht from boat & ship, yet yachts can also be motor yachts - so it is difficult to literally distinguish them unless you're viewing and describing one particular vessel is what I'm trying to explain.Y...e..s....but: I'm not sure I'm taking on board quite what the significance of that is.
I should think it is the purpose that makes something a yacht. It's a vessel for leisure, not fishing or transport.
Beats me - in my experience the phrase isn't used when an actual murder has happened, but to describe an event in which someone is exceedingly painfully annoyed about something.What about, "screaming blue murder"? I've also heard "scream bloody murder"; which makes more sense. But blue!?
Why do we say 'pushing the boat out' when describing something being done in it's most extravagant fashion? ...
What about, "screaming blue murder"? I've also heard "scream bloody murder"; which makes more sense. But blue!?
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammerscream bloody/blue murder, to
To shout loudly in pain, fear, or anger. The second term appears to have originated as a play on the French expletive morbleu (mort bleu translates as “blue murder”). The Hotten Dictionary of Slang (1859) defined it as a desperate or alarming cry. The term was used by Dion Boucicault about 1874: “They were standing by and trying to screech blue murder” (quoted in M. R. Booth, English Plays of the Nineteenth Century; cited by OED). It is heard less often, at least in America, than the more graphic bloody murder, dating from the first half of the 1900s. For example, “The one-year-old who has yelled bloody murder during his physical . . .” (B. Spock, Problems of Parents, 1962). ...
Screaming until your blue in the face, I believe means 'you're wasting your time' even though you're screaming your head off, and even if you continue until your face turns blue.What about, "screaming blue murder"? I've also heard "scream bloody murder"; which makes more sense. But blue!?
It seems to have a more interesting history that generally known. . .I was perusing the "Ever Met Anyone Famous?" thread earlier and saw that, a year or so back, it had sparked a debate over the origins of the Australian pejorative term for the English - "Poms".
That never seemed to be satisfactorily resolved.
The most popular explanation seemed to be that it was a contraction of Pomegranate - either because the newly-arrived English would be burnt as red as pomegranates by the harsh Australian sun:
View attachment 59690
... or because the Aussie slang for immigrant at the time - Jimmy Grant or Jimmigrant somehow morphed slightly into Pommie Grant.
There are also those who claim it derives from "Prisoner of (Her) Majesty" or "Prisoner of Mother England” or because a small breed of dog known as a Pomeranian was popular amongst the English upper class.
But Google invariably leads to the conclusion that "the term dates from around the turn of the 19th/20th century and the origin is still obscure."
I guess we will never know for sure.
I suspect that blue was substituted for bloody in the UK early on as bloody was considered profanity in the late 19th century. (Such bad language in fact that W S Gilbert found to his major indignation that the title of his work "Ruddygore" was strongly criticized because nice ladies would not be able to say it, because "ruddy" sounded a lot like "bloody." So he changed it to "Ruddigore" which didn't help much. ) In morbleu the bleu is actually a substitute for Dieu, as "Death of God!" was considered profanity (cf "Sacre Bleu!") And the US has any number of workarounds like "gosh dang it." Any other good workarounds in British English?The "bloody" version is American (in usage if not origin), and the "blue" version is British. The "blue" bit apparently derives from French.
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
And the US has any number of workarounds like "gosh dang it." Any other good workarounds in British English?
Bloomin'!“Flippin’ heck!”
maximus otter
Sweet Fanny Adams! Not sure where the sweet came from but I always assumed it meant sweet F**k AllBloomin'!