• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Zippy Facts Logo

Zippy Facts

Interesting Random Facts

  • Animals
  • Culture
  • Firsts
  • Food
  • Geography
  • Health
  • History
  • Inventions
  • Language
  • Mythology
  • Odds
  • People
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Space
  • Universe
  • World
You are here: Home / Language / Where Does the Phrase “Let’s Get Down To Brass Tacks” Come From and Why Are the Tacks Brass?

Where Does the Phrase “Let’s Get Down To Brass Tacks” Come From and Why Are the Tacks Brass?

April 30, 2020 by Karen Hill

There are a couple of theories about the origin of this phrase, both from England.

The first comes from Cockney rhyming slang, which uses rhymes instead of the intended word: “the weep and wail” instead of “jail,” for example, or “my struggle and strife” for “wife.”

Some say “brass tacks” was a rhyming substitute for the word “facts,” alluding to the meaning of the phrase: getting to essentials.

A different theory: Brass tacks, instead of tacks made from copper or another metal, were used to measure bolts of cloth back in days of old because they don’t rust and wouldn’t mar the fabric.

When a customer was ready to measure up and pay the clerk, it was time to “get down to brass tacks.”

Related Facts

  • What Does the Phrase "Let's Get Down to Brass Tacks" Mean and Where Did the Expression Originate?
  • Where does the expression "to get down to brass tacks" come from and What does it mean?
  • Where does the expression "brass hat" come from and What does it mean?
  • Where does the expression "to double in brass" come from and What does it mean?
  • Why Do The Kayan Women Of Burma Put Brass Rings Around Their Necks?
  • Where Did the Expression "It's Cold Enough to Freeze the Balls Off a Brass Monkey" Come From?
  • Where does the phrase "to come to the end of one's rope" come from and What does it mean?
  • What does the phrase "come hell or high water" mean and Where does it come from?
  • Where Did the Term "Lucky Stiff" Come From, What Does the Phrase Mean, and Why Is it an Insult?
  • Where Did the Phrase "Pony Up" Come From and Why Does it Mean "Show Us Your Money"?
  • What Does the Expression "Until the Cows Come Home" Mean and Where Did the Phrase Come From?
  • Where does the phrase "touch and go" come from and What does touch and go mean?

Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « What Do You Do If a Deer Runs Out In Front of Your Car While You’re Driving?
Next Post: What Is the Difference Between Idiots, Imbeciles, and Morons and Where Did the Words Come From? »

Footer

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • GitHub
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Medium
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Categories

Accomplishments Animals Culture Firsts Food Geography Health History Inventions Language Mythology Odds People Religion Science Space Universe World Your Body

About

Zippy Facts empowers the world by serving educational content that is accessible to everyone.

A tribute to growing up, zippyfacts.com showcases interesting and unusual facts about the world.

Our mission is to use technology to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing.

Copyright © 2021 Zippy Facts

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy