“Rule of thumb”.
If you work a lot with measurements but do not carry any measuring instruments you can use parts of your body.
It is a fact that the final thumb joint is about one inch, (2.5 Centimetres) and makes a good measuring guide.
In several European languages, French, Danish, Swedish, ECT. “Thumb” and “Inch” are the same word.
It helps if you know that the length of your arm to your nose is one meter, and also if you know how long your shoe is from front to back, (4.8 centimetres).
“Goodnight, sleep tight.”
Was first said in the time of William Shakespeare. Mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. By pulling the ropes tighter the bed would become firmer to sleep on.
There may be an example of this at Fort Garry in Winnipeg.
“Mind your P’s and Q’s.”
This again is an old English colloquialism from when everyone regularly frequented the corner Public house, (Pub).
The beer was sold in Pint glasses and ¼ pint glasses, so when customers became rowdy, the Bartender would yell “Mind your Pints and Quarts, and settle down.” This has been abbreviated to P’s and Q’s.
“Bury your head in the sand.”
Means to ‘refuse to confront or acknowledge a problem exists’.
It comes from the misguided idea that the Ostriches bury their heads in the sand to hide from predators. This story was first recorded by the Roman writer Pliny the Elder, who suggested Ostriches hide their heads in bushes. Sand or bushes they are both Myths, although they do sometimes lie on the ground to become inconspicuous, but it is likely that the story was from observers who thought the Ostrich were hiding when they were actually feeding from the ground.
“Wet your whistle.”
This is another Pub term. The frequenters of local Pubs had a whistle baked into the rim, or handle, of their ceramic mugs.
When they required a refill, instead of waiting for the Barmaid to come around to take their order they blew the whistle to get her attention.
This was the inspiration for this term that has survived to this very day.
I could have used one at Winterfest, at least in the English Pavilion.
“Upper Case, and Lower Case.”
This is the Posh term for writing in CAPITOL letters or small letters.
In the past all original print had to be set in individual letters.
The CAPITOL letters were stored in the storage case on top of the case that stored the small letters, thus the uppercase stored the CAPITOL letters and the lower case held the small letters.
“Honeymoon”.
An expected tradition carried out by Newlyweds to get to know one, and other. Couples spend from a few days to a few weeks on a tour, or at a secluded tourist location: Niagara Falls has been a popular spot for many decades.
This term was first used over 4,000 years sago in Babylon, Iraq. For one month after the wedding, the Brides father would be obligated to supply his new Son in Law with all the Mead, (A Honey Beer) he required.
Their calendar was Lunar based, and this period was known as the honey month, which we now have changed to honeymoon.
“Deep Pockets”.
A Canadian qualocalism meaning “Extensive financial wealth or resources” it can refer to big companies like Imperial Tobacco, or individuals like Bill Gates.
It is also used in Manitoba to refer to a Rich person who is a Skin Flint, or someone who is frugal with his money, the reasoning that his arms are too short to reach his money as the bottom of his pocket.
The problem with this term is that I cannot find where it originated from can anyone enlighten me on this topic?
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_pocket
When on a London Transport bus tour in London England the Guide will tell you as you pass one of the hundreds of Statues of Generals that if the horse the person is seated upon has both front legs in the air, the General died at War.
If the horse has only one leg in the air then the General died from wounds he received in Battle.
If the horse has all four legs on the ground then the General died of natural causes.
I learned this while on a London bus tour, and one of the passengers: an American told the Guide it was a stupid story.
If you disagree with the 'facts' on this page please submit a rebuttal.