Post by desertdweller on Jul 17, 2007 10:18:42 GMT -5
This is just a bunch of explanations for things people say every day, but have no idea why the expression is even used.
Don't throw the baby out with the bath water.
Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children-last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it - hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water."
The Facts:
Most peasant folk could not afford a bathtub and used a barrel with the top removed.1 The time and energy required to draw enough water from the well to fill a barrel was prohibitive enough to make a full-body bath a rare occasion. However, it wasn't necessary to immerse oneself completely to get clean. Think of what you can do with some cloths, soap, and a bucket of water.
The expression "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water" is German in origin and can be traced to the fifteenth century satire Narrenbeschwörung by Thomas Murner. For more about this, check out Wolfgang Mieder's article at De Proverbio.
The Real McCoy.
During the U.S. Prohibition era, it was common for rum-runner captains to add water to bottles to stretch their profits, or to re-label it as better goods. One American rum-runner captain and boat builder, William S. McCoy, became famous for never watering his booze, and selling only real top-quality products. Because of this, some accounts place McCoy as the source of the term "the Real McCoy."
A boxer, Norman Selby, known as Kid McCoy, American welterweight champion from 1898-1900. There are apocryphal tales to the effect that he had many imitators and had to adopt the term to distinguish himself.
Rule Of Thumb
violence/discipline
It is often claimed that the term originally referred to the maximum thickness of a stick with which it was permissible for a man to beat his wife.[1] This explanation for the origin of the term was popularized in the opening of the 1999 movie The Boondock Saints.
Used to measure the coldness of beer
In England, before the advent of thermometers, bar-tenders used to stick their thumbs in a beer to ensure its coldness. It is also said that it was standard practice at this time to stick one's thumb into the boiled wort to ensure that it wasn't too hot to accommodate the yeast.
Why do Brides carry bouquets?
It is also known that the wedding bouquet was used in the 1800's for a reason other then to drive away evil spirits. Some people say that the traditions behind weddings happening in June was due to the bathing of family's. Once a year in may the family's would take there annual bath, Starting with the Eldest and ending with the youngest. Weddings were traditionally held in June because after only one month, the couples were fairly clean. (Well clean as they could be after a month anyway.) The flowers were there to mask any odors that may exist on the bride.
If anyone knows any trivial fact or history behind sayings or abbreviations.......Please feel free to enlighten us with those little gems of knowledge.
Thanks.
Don't throw the baby out with the bath water.
Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children-last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it - hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water."
The Facts:
Most peasant folk could not afford a bathtub and used a barrel with the top removed.1 The time and energy required to draw enough water from the well to fill a barrel was prohibitive enough to make a full-body bath a rare occasion. However, it wasn't necessary to immerse oneself completely to get clean. Think of what you can do with some cloths, soap, and a bucket of water.
The expression "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water" is German in origin and can be traced to the fifteenth century satire Narrenbeschwörung by Thomas Murner. For more about this, check out Wolfgang Mieder's article at De Proverbio.
The Real McCoy.
During the U.S. Prohibition era, it was common for rum-runner captains to add water to bottles to stretch their profits, or to re-label it as better goods. One American rum-runner captain and boat builder, William S. McCoy, became famous for never watering his booze, and selling only real top-quality products. Because of this, some accounts place McCoy as the source of the term "the Real McCoy."
A boxer, Norman Selby, known as Kid McCoy, American welterweight champion from 1898-1900. There are apocryphal tales to the effect that he had many imitators and had to adopt the term to distinguish himself.
Rule Of Thumb
violence/discipline
It is often claimed that the term originally referred to the maximum thickness of a stick with which it was permissible for a man to beat his wife.[1] This explanation for the origin of the term was popularized in the opening of the 1999 movie The Boondock Saints.
Used to measure the coldness of beer
In England, before the advent of thermometers, bar-tenders used to stick their thumbs in a beer to ensure its coldness. It is also said that it was standard practice at this time to stick one's thumb into the boiled wort to ensure that it wasn't too hot to accommodate the yeast.
Why do Brides carry bouquets?
It is also known that the wedding bouquet was used in the 1800's for a reason other then to drive away evil spirits. Some people say that the traditions behind weddings happening in June was due to the bathing of family's. Once a year in may the family's would take there annual bath, Starting with the Eldest and ending with the youngest. Weddings were traditionally held in June because after only one month, the couples were fairly clean. (Well clean as they could be after a month anyway.) The flowers were there to mask any odors that may exist on the bride.
If anyone knows any trivial fact or history behind sayings or abbreviations.......Please feel free to enlighten us with those little gems of knowledge.
Thanks.
