Why Did Jewish Immigrants From Europe Change Their Names When They Arrived In North America?

why did jewish immigrants from europe change their names when they arrived in north america

In the sixteenth century, when surnames became necessary so that governments could enforce taxation and conscription, census-taking was introduced. This development meant that everyone needed a last name, something that was against the traditions of both the Gaels of Scotland and the Jews of Poland. Both had survived for centuries with traditional name forms such … Read more

Where Did the Term “Big Cheese” For an Important Person Come From and What Does it Mean?

where did the term big cheese for an important person come from and what does it mean

The “big cheese” is the person with the authority and responsibility for everything within an organization. In this case, cheese is an Anglicization of chiz, the Urdu word for thing. In colonial India, the natives picked up the pre-existing English idiom “the real thing” and made it “the real chiz,” which in turn was carried … Read more

Who Are the Best Tippers In North America and What Are Their Professions?

who are the best tippers in north america and what are their professions

A recent survey of North American service workers rated the best tippers in this order: (1) Other restaurant workers (2) Regular customers, especially cigarette smokers (3) Young male “wannabes” (4) Small business owners (5) Tavern owners (6) Hairdressers (7) Liquor salesmen (8) Taxi drivers (9) Salesmen (10) Musicians. The same survey identified these categories as … Read more

What Does the Phrase “The Real Skinny” Mean and Where Did the Saying For the Truth Come From?

what does the phrase the real skinny mean and where did the saying for the truth come from

The word skinny came to mean “emaciated” around 1605, and during World War II, it began to suggest something that was true. The expression means “let’s cut to the bare bones of a situation without any embellishment.” In combat there is no time for anything except the “naked truth,” so eventually a creative and expedient … Read more

What Does the Expression “Pillage and Plunder” Mean and Where Did the Word “Ransack” Come From?

what does the expression pillage and plunder mean and where did the word ransack come from

The Vikings were good at “ransacking” during raids on Britain and other countries. They gave us the word ransack, which started out meaning to search a house, legally or otherwise, for goods, stolen or otherwise. Pillage and plunder are almost interchangeable, with pillage strictly referring to searching a home for booty, while plunder denotes removing … Read more

How Did the Humvee Get its Name, What Does it Mean, and Where Did the Hummer Come From?

how did the humvee get its name what does it mean and where did the hummer come from

Humvee is a trademark for a durable wide-bodied military vehicle with four-wheel drive that was developed by American Motors in 1983 to replace the Jeep. The name Humvee is a rough military acronym that came out of the 1991 Gulf War. It means high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle. Substantially larger than the Jeep, the Humvee was … Read more

What Does the Word “Siege” Mean When an Army Surrounds a City and How Did it Originate?

what does the word siege mean when an army surrounds a city and how did it originate

The word siege conjures up visions of intense combat, with one force attacking a surrounded enemy with total and absolute ferocity. So it’s interesting to note that siege means “sit” in Latin. This origin is illustrated in the Arthurian legends where the “siege perilous” was a vacant seat at the Round Table. The seat was … Read more

Where Did the Term “Military Raid” For a Quick Attack Come From and What Does the Word Raid Mean?

where did the term military raid for a quick attack come from and what does the word raid mean

A sudden “raid” is usually over quickly, with the attackers strategically withdrawing as soon as their mission is completed. It’s always a surprise attack. Consider that the words road and rode both come from ride, as in horseback riding, and then consider that lightning-quick surprise attacks resulted from horsemen charging down a road. Rade, “a … Read more

What Does the Expression “Too Old To Cut the Mustard” Mean and Where Did the Idiom Come From?

what does the expression too old to cut the mustard mean and where did the idiom come from

The phrase “too old to cut the mustard” was popularized by a hit song during the 1940s when military expressions were uppermost in the minds of returning servicemen. Simply put, it means that one’s “salad days” are in the past. Mustard is a mispronunciation of the military word muster, which means “inspection.” If a soldier … Read more

Where Did the Term “Right Hand Man” For Someone Indispensable Come From and What Does it Mean?

where did the term right hand man for someone indispensable come from and what does it mean

The term right-hand man refers to someone indispensable to the person in charge and derives from the military. Today, when soldiers line up on a parade square, they are copying the alignment employed when armies used to face, then approach, each other in lines for mortal or pitched combat. The tallest or “right-marker” is the … Read more

Why Was the Victoria Cross Introduced By Queen Victoria and What Is the Highest Military Decoration Made Of?

why was the victoria cross introduced by queen victoria and what is the highest military decoration made of

The United Kingdom’s Queen Victoria created the Victoria Cross in 1856 to recognize individual acts of gallantry by soldiers and sailors of the British Empire. The new medal came on the heels of, and was inspired by, the heroics of the Crimean War fought by Britain, France, the Kingdom of Sardinia, and the Ottoman Empire … Read more

Where Did the Term “Real Estate” Come From, What Does it Mean, and Why Is Land Called “Real Estate”?

where did the term real estate come from what does it mean and why is land called real estate

Real estate is a piece of land that includes the air above it, the ground below it, and any buildings or structures on it. The term was first used in 1666 England. In 1670 the word “realty” surfaced to mean the same thing. Real means “actual” or “genuine,” and estate, of course, means “property.” Real … Read more

Where Did the Term “Gumshoes” For Private Detectives Come From and What Does the Word Mean?

where did the term gumshoes for private detectives come from and what does the word mean

Around the beginning of the twentieth century a popular casual shoe was manufactured with a sole made of gum rubber. They were very quiet and were favored by thieves who used them during burglaries and other crimes and consequently became required footwear for the detectives hunting them down. The term gumshoe stuck with private detectives … Read more

What Does the Term “Whistleblower” Mean and Why Are Informers Called Whistleblowers?

what does the term whistleblower mean and why are informers called whistleblowers

A whistle-blower is an insider who secretly reveals nefarious or scandalous wrongdoing by an organization or a government. The reference is, of course, to a referee or umpire who calls a foul during a sporting event. It was introduced to our vernacular in 1953 by the American writer Raymond Chandler (1888-1959) in his Philip Marlowe … Read more

Where Did the Expression “Fork it Over” Come From and What Does the Phrase “Hand it Over” Mean?

where did the expression fork it over come from and what does the phrase hand it over mean scaled

The expression “fork it over” has a connotation of urgency to it and is often used dramatically during a criminal holdup. In fact, the expression does have origins in a long-forgotten underworld. Of course, the phrase can also be employed with humor when asking for a financial payment for goods or services rendered or for … Read more

What Is “Bail”, Where Did the Word Come From, and Why Is Bail Required Before Releasing a Suspect From Jail?

what is bail where did the word come from and why is bail required before releasing a suspect from jail scaled

A bailiff is a sheriff’s deputy, a subordinate magistrate with jurisdiction over a strictly defined area. He or she has responsibility over the custody and administration of prisoners. To the early English, bailiff meant “village” and derived from bail, which described the palisade or wall around a community or castle. Bailey came to mean any … Read more

Where Did the Word “Fired” When Losing Your Job Come From and What Did the Term Mean Originally?

where did the word fired when losing your job come from and what did the term mean originally

Being fired is usually an unpleasant experience. Even though it’s sometimes a disguised blessing, it never reaches the cruelty of its medieval Celtic origins. If a clan leader wanted to get rid of a petty criminal without killing him, or if someone was found guilty of stealing from his employer, especially from the mines, he … Read more

What Is “Trial By Combat”, What Does the Phrase Mean, and Where Did the Expression Come From?

what is trial by combat what does the phrase mean and where did the expression come from

Today the phrase “trial by combat” is generally used as a reference to lessons learned through experience. For example, a soldier who has seen action in battle, but the term was, in fact, from a legitimate legal process also known as “judicial combat.” In medieval Christian cultures it was agreed that God decided the outcome … Read more

How Did the “G-String” Get its Name, What Does it Mean, and Where Did the Woman’s Underwear Come From?

how did the g string get its name what does it mean and where did the womans underwear come from

Although our prehistoric ancestors wore leather loincloths that have been excavated from more than 7,000 years ago, underwear as we know it didn’t become “normal” until the thirteenth century when it was tied at the waist and knees. The ancient Greeks didn’t wear underwear, though their slaves sported a kind of loincloth. The G in … Read more

How Did “Bloomers” Get Their Name and How Did the Women’s Underwear Originate?

how did bloomers get their name and how did the womens underwear originate

In the mid-nineteenth century, Mrs. Elizabeth Smith Miller (1822-1911) revolutionized women’s wear by designing and wearing a clothing style that did away with voluminous dresses and tightly laced corsets. She suggested that women wear a jacket and knee-length skirt over a pair of trousers tucked into boots. The cause was taken up by magazine editor … Read more

Why Is the Phrase “Bib and Tucker” Used For Someone Well Dressed and Where Did the Expression Come From?

why is the phrase bib and tucker used for someone well dressed and where did the expression come from

In the seventeenth century, bibs were introduced to protect men’s clothing from the consequences of their own bad table manners. Women did the same, but their bibs were fancier and were made of lace or muslin with frills to frame their faces. Because these bibs were tucked into the tops of low-cut dresses, they were … Read more

How Much Does the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Oscar Weigh?

how much does the academy of motion picture arts and sciences oscar weigh

Recipients of the Academy Award, commonly known as the Oscar, always seem to be surprised at its weight. The Oscar was designed in 1928 by Cedric Gibbons (1893-1960), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s chief art director. The statuette depicts a knight standing on a reel of film and holding a crusader sword. Originally, Oscar was made of gold-plated bronze. … Read more

Why Is the String For Tying Shoes Called “Lace” and Where Did the Word Shoelace Come From?

why is the string for tying shoes called lace and where did the word shoelace come from

The word lace began its route into thirteenth-century English as the Latin word lacere, which means “to entice.” On its way through Spanish and French, lace became a hunting term meaning “rope net,” “snare,” or “noose.” In 1555, because fancy lace reminded someone of a hunting net, the word lace was employed to describe an … Read more

Where Did the Word “Bobbysoxers” For Teenage Girls Come From and What Does the Term Mean?

where did the word bobbysoxers for teenage girls come from and what does the term mean

Frank Sinatra (1915-1998) was the first pop singer to experience primal teenage female screaming and tearful shrieking during a musical performance. These legions of young women and girls were called bobbysoxers because they were the first generation to wear short or cutoff stockings, leaving their nubile bare legs to disappear beneath a shorter rather than … Read more

Who Invented LEGO, How Did it Get its Name, and What Does LEGO Mean in Danish?

who invented lego how did it get its name and what does lego mean in danish

LEGO is a trademark name for a child’s plastic construction set derived from a 1934 invention by a humble and struggling Danish carpenter named Ole Kirk Christiansen (1891-1958). The company name LEGO comes from the Danish words “leg godt”, meaning “play well.” There is a myth that Christiansen didn’t realize that lego in Latin means … Read more

What Does the Expression “Dog and Pony Show” Mean and Where Did the Phrase Come From?

what does the expression dog and pony show mean and where did the phrase come from

In the late 1800s, shows featuring small animals began touring little North American farming towns that weren’t on the larger circuses’ itineraries. These traveling shows were made up of dogs and ponies that did tricks. Some, like the Gentry Brothers Circus, were very successful, using up to eighty dogs and forty ponies in a single … Read more

Where Was the First Ferris Wheel Built?

where was the first ferris wheel built

The first Ferris wheel was built by and named after George Washington Gale Ferris (1859-1896) and was constructed as an attraction for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Ferris had set out to build a structure that would rival the Eiffel Tower built four years earlier for the Paris Exposition. The two towers that … Read more

Why Do Jazz Musicians Call a Spontaneous Session a “Jam” and How Did the Word Originate?

why do jazz musicians call a spontaneous session a jam and how did the word originate

All musicians refer to an informal and exhilarating musical session as “jamming,” but the term first surfaced in the jazz world during the 1920s. “Jam” in jazz is a short, free, improvised passage performed by the whole band. It means pushing or “jamming” all the players and notes into a defined free-flowing session. And just … Read more

What Is the Name of the “Thinker” in Auguste Rodin’s Famous Statue and Where Was He From?

what is the name of the thinker in auguste rodins famous statue and where was he from

The French sculptor Auguste Rodin’s statue commonly called The Thinker (Le penseur) is one of the best-known pieces of art in the world. Yet when Rodin (1840-1917) first cast a small plaster version in 1880, he meant it as a depiction of the Italian poet Dante Alighieri (circa 1265-1321) pondering his great allegorical epic The … Read more

Where Did the Phrase “Winging It” When Making it Up As You Go Come From and What Does it Mean?

where did the phrase winging it when making it up as you go come from and what does it mean

The phrase “winging it” usually implies the same thing as having your first swimming lesson by being thrown into the deep end of a pool. It takes courage and sometimes ability you didn’t know you had. It’s an exercise familiar to good salespeople. The expression derives from an unprepared stage actor standing in the “wings” … Read more

How Did “Greensleeves” The Christmas Song Get its Name and Where Did it Come From?

how did greensleeves the christmas song get its name and where did it come from

The ballad “Greensleeves” was first published in 1580, but no doubt had been known long before that. One early lyric, “Lady Greensleeves” was a love song to a well-dressed woman, possibly a prostitute. The music’s first application to Christmas appeared in New Christmas Carols of 1642 and was entitled “The Old Year Now Is Fled.” … Read more

How Did the Word “Bully” Originate and Why Does it Have Both Good and Bad Connotations?

how did the word bully originate and why does it have both good and bad connotations

Today a bully is generally a description of a brute who intimidates someone weaker or more vulnerable. But in the United States the positive power of the presidency is often referred to as the “bully pulpit.” In the 1500s, the word in its positive sense entered English from the Dutch boel, meaning “sweetheart” or “brother,” … Read more

Why Are Small Rental Apartments Called “Digs” and Where Did the Slang Term Come From?

why are small rental apartments called digs and where did the slang term come from

Digs comes from Australian gold prospectors who used the word diggings to describe their mining claims, which usually included makeshift lodgings. In 1893 the word “digs” first appeared as a slang term for rooms and small apartments in boarding houses that were strictly supervised by landladies who usually forbade visits by the opposite sex. Students … Read more

Where Did the Word “Babble” When Someone Speaks Nonsense Come From and What Does it Mean?

where did the word babble when someone speaks nonsense come from and what does it mean

To babble means to speak foolishness. It is a verb rooted in the French and Scandinavian languages and was used to describe baby talk in the months leading up to a child’s first words. Babble has many different forms and circumstances, for example, squabble, blather, and charlatan, all of which, to some degree, mean “chattering … Read more

Why Is an Overused Story or Joke Called an “Old Chestnut” and Where Did the Expression Come From?

why is an overused story or joke called an old chestnut and where did the expression come from

If a joke or expression works, especially for a comic or a public speaker, it is usually overused and is consequently called “an old chestnut.” The expression comes from a British play, The Broken Sword, or The Torrent of the Valley, written by William Dimond (1780-1837) and first produced in 1816 at London’s Royal Covent … Read more

Where Did the Expression “Head Over Heels” When In Love Come From and What Does it Mean?

where did the expression head over heels when in love come from and what does it mean

When people fall “head over heels” in love, their world has been turned upside down by romance. The word fallen suggests helplessness, and the metaphorical “head over heels” is intended to expand the illusion. However, consider that having your head over your heels is, in fact, the normal standing position! You can blame American frontiersman, … Read more

What Are the Meanings of Some Common Yiddish Words and Where Did They Come From?

what are the meanings of some common yiddish words and where did they come from

Some familiar Yiddish words are: chutzpah, “audacity or boldness”; schmuck, “a jerk or a foolish idiot” (literally meaning schmok, “penis” or “family jewels”); klutz, “a clumsy person”; putz, “an unclean, stupid person”; mensch, “a good and decent human being”; l’chaim, “joyful toast to life”; schlemiel, “an inept or incompetent person”; goy, “a Gentile, a person … Read more

Where Did the Expression “Breaking the Ice” When Relaxing Tension Originate and What Does it Mean?

where did the expression breaking the ice when relaxing tension originate and what does it mean

Overcoming an awkward moment in either business or social circles sometimes requires a little levity to “break the ice” in order to make progress. The expression originally meant to smash the melting ice that hindered commerce during the long winter freeze. It was first used literally in its figurative modem way in 1823 when, in … Read more

What Does the Expression “Hail Fellow Well Met” Mean and Where Did the Phrase Come From?

what does the expression hail fellow well met mean and where did the phrase come from

The phrase “Hail fellow well met” is an archaic reference to someone who is always cheerful but who is perhaps overdoing his or her enthusiasm. The expression began pleasantly enough as the medieval Scottish greeting hail, which is how the Scots pronounced heal. “Hale fellow” meant “health to you, friend.” In the sixteenth century, the … Read more

How Did Gargoyles Get Their Name, What Does it Mean in French, and Where Did They Come From?

how did gargoyles get their name what does it mean in french and where did they come from

Ancient Celtic warriors used to place the severed heads of their enemies around the top of their fortresses as a warning. In time these inspired architects to add the twisted faces of gargoyles to prominent buildings. Gargoyles had the practical purpose of collecting rainwater and dropping it clear of the walls through their throats. In … Read more

Where Did the Saying “Ups-a-Daisy” Come From and What Does it Mean?

where did the saying ups a daisy come from and what does it mean

Whether it’s “Ups-a-daisy,” “Whoops-a-daisy,” or “Oops-a-daisy,” you are speaking loving nonsense, usually to a child. “Up-a-dazy” dates back to 1711, and by 1862 it had mutated into “Up-a-daisy,” spelled the same as the flower. The original meaning was an encouragement for a child to get up, and dazy was an endearing reference to lazy, an … Read more

How Did IKEA Get its Name, What Does it Mean, and How Did the Swedish Furniture Company Originate?

how did ikea get its name what does it mean and how did the swedish furniture company originate scaled

Born in 1926 in the Swedish village of Agunnaryd, Ingvar Kamprad got his start by riding his bicycle from farm to farm selling wooden matches. Once everyone had a supply of matches, Ingvar wisely decided to diversify his offerings and soon was pedaling around the countryside delivering Christmas tree ornaments, ballpoint pens, and, though it … Read more