IN CONTEXT: When it comes to universities, Princeton is first rate.įirst rate is a naval expression dating from the time of King Henry VIII. The expression was being used figuratively by 1861 when Charles Dickens included it in his novel Great Expectations. To save time and escape with minimal damage, the crew would cut the anchor rope with an ax and allow the ship to run with the wind and escape to safety. If a ship was at anchor and suddenly came under attack, the time taken to raise the anchor could be costly. To raise an anchor took significant time and effort, especially in deep water. IN CONTEXT: The business was failing so instead of injecting more money, he decided to cut and run.Ĭut and run originated in the early 1700s when the anchor cables of ships were made of rope. MEANING: avoid a difficult situation by leaving abruptly The hatches would be covered with canvas tarpaulins that would be held down with strips of wood, known as battens, to stop them from blowing off. When seas were rough or bad weather was imminent, the ship’s captain would call to batten down the hatches to protect the cargo and prevent the hold from getting filled with rain or seawater. These hatches were normally left open or simply covered with a grate that allowed for ventilation. Most sailing ships at the time had cargo holds that opened to the deck via hatches, sometimes called hatchways. ![]() We’d better batten down the hatches.īatten down the hatches is a nautical phrase that dates back to the early 1800s. IN CONTEXT: Here comes the boss and he’s in a bad mood. MEANING: prepare for trouble or hard times This book will ensure that you never look at the English language in the same way again-from when you start from scratch right up to the bitter end.Īs the Crow Flies: The Nautical World Batten Down the Hatches So stop barking up the wrong tree, don’t rest on your laurels or turn a blind eye, and don’t pass the buck. What you’ll read is both weird and wonderful, eccentric and funny-and at times downright unbelievable. Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red explains the fascinating origins of 400 phrases that we use every day, breaking them up into different categories that will take you on a journey through every aspect of the world. ![]() But that is not to say that there are no other possible explanations these complicated situations just add weight to how intricate our language really is. For these phrases, the most compelling view has been chosen. In some cases, the discussion of a single expression could fill half the pages in this book. There is often conflicting evidence and more than one possible origin of many phrases. We take our language for granted out of necessity, yet many of us are intrigued to know more. Most people simply don’t have time to consider the origins of every phrase and idiom that we utter. The varied and bizarre explanations of our everyday phrases never cease to amaze and intrigue people-and probably confuse the life out of anyone whose second language is English.ĭid you know that to freeze the balls off a brass monkey is in no way offensive, but actually relates to cold temperatures causing cannonballs to fall onto the deck of a ship? Or that to eat humble pie originally meant that you were eating offal and entrails, known as umbles, instead of meat? Everyone knows what letting the cat out of the bag means, but did you know it originates from unscrupulous market vendors substituting cats for more valuable suckling pigs? People are unwittingly quoting history on a daily basis. ![]() In case you weren’t aware, military tactics, nautical procedures, politics, entertainment, literature, and an array of other fields form the basis of many expressions that are used today. Phrases from the English language cover every facet of life, but often their meanings don’t correlate to their origins. Have you ever wondered where the phrase in the limelight comes from? Or what cat got your tongue originally meant? Who was it that painted the town red in the first place? It’s time to find out. INTRODUCTION Start from Scratch: Meaning Versus OriginĪs mad as a hatter…A son of a gun…To bite the bullet…To be saved by the bell…To be given short shrift…
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