There is a bit of**history
buff in all of us.
Here are some*interesting
tidbits that just*maybe you
didn't know.
*
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 cost 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 the 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 and 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 cards 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 warships and many 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
round-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 brass-ring called a 'Monkey' with 16 round
indentations. NOW BRASS was used because it didn't make a spark if it hit
anything and there was a lot of BLACK POWER on the floor or ground around the
cannon
However, '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.)
buff in all of us.
Here are some*interesting
tidbits that just*maybe you
didn't know.
*
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 cost 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 the 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 and 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 cards 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 warships and many 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
round-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 brass-ring called a 'Monkey' with 16 round
indentations. NOW BRASS was used because it didn't make a spark if it hit
anything and there was a lot of BLACK POWER on the floor or ground around the
cannon
However, '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.)
