Where Did the Merry-Go-Round Come From and How Did the Carousel Get its Name?

where did the merry go round come from and how did the carousel get its name

When medieval noblemen were looking for a sport to replace their brutal jousting tournaments, they turned to a training exercise of catching rings from horseback, known in Spanish as carossela, meaning “little war.” The word “carossela” gave us carousel. In time, live horses were replaced with hanging revolving seats, which in turn gave way to … Read more

Where Did the Melody For “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” Come From and How Did the Nursery Rhyme Originate?

where did the melody for twinkle twinkle little star come from and how did the nursery rhyme originate

In 1806, Jane Taylor published “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” simply as “The Star.” The tune was already in use for “Baa Baa Black Sheep” and the Alphabet Song. The melody for all three came from a French rhyme called “Ah! Vous dirais-je Maman” in 1765. Both Mozart and Haydn have incorporated the melody into two … Read more

Why Do the Words “Guts” and “Pluck” Mean Courage and How Did They Originate?

why do the words guts and pluck mean courage and how did they originate

Having “guts” or “pluck” means having courage or backbone, while having neither means lily-livered cowardice, and they are all references to intestinal fortitude. Guts, of course, are internal organs while pluck is collectively the heart, liver, and lungs. Lily-livered comes from the belief that fear drains blood from the liver, making it white. It was … Read more

What Does the Phrase “If I Had My Druthers” Mean and Where Did the Saying Come From?

what does the phrase if i had my druthers mean and where did the saying come from

The phrase “If had my druthers” means, of course, “If I had my way.” Druthers is always plural and indicates that there are a number of options other than what is offered. It’s rural American slang; it began as “I’d rather,” which, when shortened by dropping the “I” becomes “drather.” With a country accent, “drather” … Read more

What Does “Footloose and Fancy Free” Mean and Where Did the Expression Come From?

what does footloose and fancy free mean and where did the expression come from

To be footloose and fancy-free means to be free from any responsibilities, or in other words, to be single. The expression started appearing in print around 1700 with footloose simply meaning your ankles were unshackled so you could go anywhere you wanted. Fancy was a sixteenth-century word for being attracted to someone of the opposite … Read more

What Is the Meaning of the Saying “To Bear the Brunt” and How Did “To Take the Heat” Originate?

what is the meaning of the saying to bear the brunt and how did to take the heat originate

“To take the heat” is the literal translation of “to bear the brunt,” because brunt and burn mean the same thing. From the Anglo-Saxon word brenning, or burning, brunt was a vivid reference to the hottest point of conflict during a battle. It took on a more general meaning to describe contentious domestic and business … Read more

What Does “The Be-All and End-All” Mean and Where Did the Phrase Come From?

what does the be all and end all mean and where did the phrase come from

Shakespeare introduced the expression, meaning “the ultimate or most important solution,” as dialogue for Macbeth. Macbeth thinks about killing Duncan and wonders “that this blow might be the be-all and the end-all”, MacBeth I vii. IV. Macbeth then says he would risk his status in the afterlife if it were true. Today, Shakespeare’s second “the” … Read more

Where Did the Term “Pipe Dream” For an Unrealistic Fantasy Originate and What Does the Phrase Mean?

where did the term pipe dream for an unrealistic fantasy originate and what does the phrase mean

Pipe dreams are often schemes that just won’t work. Like daydreams, pipe dreams dissolve like smoke rising into the air, which is appropriate, because the metaphor comes from smoking opium. The phrase can be traced to print in the late nineteenth century, when it was fashionable for hedonists and the upper classes to escape reality … Read more

Where Did the Expression “It’s a Dog Eat Dog World” Come From and What Does the Saying Mean?

where did the expression its a dog eat dog world come from and what does the saying mean

In the year 43 BC, Roman scholar Marcus Tarentius Varro observed humanity and remarked that even “a dog will not eat dog.” His point was that humans are less principled in the matter of destroying their own kind than other animals. By the sixteenth century, the phrase became a metaphor for ruthless competition. And during … Read more

What Does “Talking Through Your Hat” Mean and Where Did the Phrase For Lying Come From?

what does talking through your hat mean and where did the phrase for lying come from

Saying something without conviction might be called a lie, or you could be accused of “talking through your hat.” Around 1850, an Englishman refused to kneel before sitting in a church pew, a serious breach of religious etiquette. Instead, he whispered a prayer while covering his mouth with his hat before sitting down. This shocked … Read more

What Does the Word “Monger” Mean and Where Did the Word Fishmonger Come From?

what does the word monger mean and where did the word fishmonger come from

There are gossipmongers, warmongers, scandal-mongers, hate-mongers, and many others to whom we show extreme disrespect by adding the perceived curse monger to their action. Yet when the word stands alone it isn’t that severe. From the old English word mangian, mong simply means “to peddle, sell, or barter,” so a fishmonger sells fish, while a … Read more

How Did the Word “Tip” Originate and What Does the Word For a Gratuity Mean In German?

how did the word tip originate and what does the word for a gratuity mean in german

The word “tip” is not an acronym for “To Insure Promptness.” In the 1800s a tip was understood to be a bribe. As insider information, tip first appeared in the seventeenth century and derives from the Low German word tippen, which means “to touch discreetly.” A tip is something confidential, whether given or received, either … Read more

How Did “Longshoremen” Get Their Name, What Does it Mean, and Where Did the Word Stevedore Originate?

how did longshoremen get their name what does it mean and where did the word stevedore originate

The title longshoreman goes back to a time when there was very little mechanical help to unload a great sailing vessel, and often there were no port or docking facilities either. Everything was done by hand. Unloading the big ship into smaller rowing boats, then unloading these onto the shore, was hard work and needed … Read more

Where Did the Word “Spring” Come From and How Did the Season and Water Supply Get its Name?

where did the word spring come from and how did the season and water supply get its name

Spring is a season, but it’s also part of a mattress, an underground water supply, and a surprise attack. The word “spring” derives from sprengh, an ancient Indo-European word for “rapid movement.” It was around 816 AD when spring was first used to mean “rising up,” or the beginning of something. By the fourteenth century … Read more

How Did Jim Henson’s Muppets Get Their Name and When Did the Sesame Street Characters First Appear On TV?

how did jim hensons muppets get their name and when did the sesame street characters first appear on tv

The Muppets, who’ve had their own television show as well as a series of movies, are best known for their roles on Sesame Street, which first appeared in 1969. After 4,100 episodes, Sesame Street is the longest running television show in history and has received more Emmy Awards than any other show. The Muppets were … Read more

Where Did the Term “Paparazzi” For Celebrity Photographers Come From and What Does the Word Mean?

where did the term paparazzi for celebrity photographers come from and what does the word mean scaled

The word paparazzi is a nickname or tag for pushy celebrity photographers. It comes from Frederico Fellini’s 1960 film La Dolce Vita and first appeared in its current use around 1968. In the movie, the character Signor Paparazzo, the singular of paparazzi, was an obnoxious, creepy little man who was despised by the stars. Before … Read more

Where Did the Phrase “That’s the Sixty Four Dollar Question” Come From and What Does it Mean?

where did the phrase thats the sixty four dollar question come from and what does it mean

In 1941, Bob Hawk emceed a radio quiz called Take It or Leave It. Chosen from a live studio audience, the contestants went through seven levels of difficulty, starting at $2 and culminating with a chance at $64. The show’s success inspired a dozen imitators, but the original gave us the expression that stuck: “That’s … Read more

Why Was Albert Bender Visited by Three Men in Black and How Was it Inspiration For Paranormal Alien Movies?

why was albert bender visited by three men in black and how was it inspiration for paranormal alien movies scaled

Since the start of the UFO phenomenon in 1947, many who experienced sightings have reported visits from men in black. After approaching Washington claiming that he had proof that flying saucers exist, Albert Bender was visited by three men dressed in black. After the infamous visit by the three men, he became gravely ill and … Read more

Why Are Women Called “Broads”, What Does the Word Mean, and Where Did the Nickname Come From?

why are women called broads what does the word mean and where did the nickname come from

In the eighteenth century, poker cards were called broads because they were wider than those used for other card games. Around 1912, because they resembled poker cards, tickets of admission, meal tickets, and transit tickets were being called “broads.” By 1914, because they were a different kind of “meal ticket,” pimps began calling their prostitutes … Read more

How Did the Baby Ruth Chocolate Bar, the Tootsie Roll, and Hershey’s Kisses Get Their Names?

how did the baby ruth chocolate bar the tootsie roll and hersheys kisses get their names

Confectioner Leo Hirschfield created the Tootsie Roll. He named his chewy chocolate treat after his daughter Clara, whose nickname was Tootsie. The Baby Ruth chocolate bar was named in honor of President Grover Cleveland’s baby daughter, Ruth. Hershey’s named their chocolate treats Kisses because in the factory the machine that dispenses them kisses the conveyor … Read more

What Does the Word “Metrosexual” Mean and Where Did the Term Come From?

what does the word metrosexual mean and where did the term come from

The word metrosexual was coined in 1994 by writer Mark Simpson. However, it was Simpson’s 2002 article in Salon concerning soccer star David Beckham that introduced metrosexual to everyday use. A metro-sexual is a straight but fastidious and style-conscious urban male whose self-indulgence never keeps him far from his true love, himself.

How Did the The Lord of the Flies Get its Name and What Does the Title Mean in Hebrew?

how did the the lord of the flies get its name and what does the title mean in hebrew

When William Golding published his classic novel in 1954, he chose a title suggesting a powerful, malevolent, supernatural presence, which he called the Lord of the Flies. Translated into Hebrew, “Lord of the Flies” is Ba’ al zebhubh, which, since the twelfth century in English has been rendered as “Beelzebub,” a Catholic reference to the … Read more

Where Did the Expression “Spinning a Yarn” When Telling a Tall Tale Originate and What Does the Idiom Mean?

where did the expression spinning a yarn when telling a tall tale originate and what does the idiom mean

If someone is “spinning a yam” they are exaggerating the truth. First printed about 1812, the expression is nautical and has nothing to do with domestic spinning. Sailors were required to spend long tedious shifts working in pairs, spinning fibers into the endless miles of rope needed to keep their sailing ship sound. To pass … Read more

What Does the Word “Taboo” Mean and Where Did the Term For Something Socially Unacceptable Come From?

what does the word taboo mean and where did the term for something socially unacceptable come from

If something is unacceptable, it’s considered “taboo.” When Captain James Cook visited the Friendly Islands in 1777, he noted in his diary that the Polynesians used the word taboo to signify that a thing was forbidden. Cook and his men carried the word to the rest of the English-speaking world. They didn’t realize that it … Read more

What Does “Digging Up the Past” Mean and Where Did the Expression Come From?

what does digging up the past mean and where did the expression come from scaled

When someone is “looking for dirt,” or scavenging for scandal in another person’s earlier life, if they dig long enough they’re bound to find something. Of course if you’re scrounging through an attic trunk or old scrapbooks, you too are “digging up the past.” The expression logically comes from the science of archeology. It is … Read more

Where Did the Last Names Stringer and Archer Come From and What Does the Phrase “Brace Yourself” Mean?

where did the last names stringer and archer come from and what does the phrase brace yourself mean

If you heard Stringer tell Archer point-blank to brace himself for a quarrel, you were probably an archer. Surnames taken from archery include Stringer, Bower, Fletcher, Abbott, meaning, “at the butts”, and of course Archer. Point-blank is the bulls-eye on a French target. “Brace yourself” meant prepare to shoot, while a quarrel is an arrow … Read more

Where Did Last Names Come From, How Did Surnames Originate, and What Do they Mean?

where did last names come from how did surnames originate and what do they mean

In the Middle Ages, most common people didn’t have a last name. Many of our familiar surnames came from the necessity to distinguish between two people with the same first name by adding their occupation, location, or a physical characteristic. William the tanner and William the blacksmith became William Tanner and William Smith. Poor country … Read more

What Does the Word “Hazard” Mean and Where Did the Term For a Potential Disaster Come From?

what does the word hazard mean and where did the term for a potential disaster come from

A potentially dangerous situation was first called a hazard by the western European Crusaders after returning from the Holy Land. It was there that they encountered and were fleeced by unscrupulous local gamblers using loaded or doctored dice. “Hazard” is how they pronounced “al zahr”, which is the Arabic word for dice. In time the … Read more

Why Do Most Spiral Staircases Ascend In a Clockwise Direction and How Did They Originate?

why do most spiral staircases ascend in a clockwise direction and how did they originate

Spiral staircases originated as a defense mechanism in medieval castles because all knights were right-handed. Southpaws were considered under the Devil’s influence and were automatically disqualified for knighthood. While ascending a clockwise spiral staircase backwards with a sword in his right hand, the defending knight could freely swing his sword arm, while the attacker was … Read more

Is it More Politically Correct To Call Canadian Aboriginals Eskimo or Inuit or Natives and Why?

is it more politically correct to call canadian aboriginals eskimo or inuit or natives and why

Legend has it that the word Eskimo was picked up from the Abenaki by European explorers as meaning “eaters of raw meat”. But the word was originally “ayashkinew” and referred to the way they tied their snowshoes. It is not a derogatory word, although erroneously believing this and responding to demands from Eskimo political associations, … Read more

Who Wrote the Song “Hail to the Chief” and Why Is it Associated With the President of the United States?

who wrote the song hail to the chief and why is it associated with the president of the united states

When the American President enters a room, “Hail to the Chief “is preceded by a fanfare of four drum and bugle ruffles and flourishes. The number of ruffles and flourishes indicates the importance of the person being introduced, not “Hail to the Chief”. The march comes from the English dramatization of Sir Walter Scott’s poem … Read more

What Do the Stars and Stripes on the American Flag Represent and What Do the Colors Symbolize?

what do the stars and stripes on the american flag represent and what do the colors symbolize

The American flag has changed twenty-six times since the first official design was approved by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777. Today it consists of thirteen horizontal stripes, seven red alternating with six white. The stripes represent the original thirteen colonies, while the stars represent the fifty states of the Union. The colors of … Read more