Paddy, I had almost exactly that same experience about 20 years ago. I used that phrase to a female customer and a new fellow we had hired from Jersey just broke up. I'd been saying "petered out" for years and had never given a thought to the actual words. Ronnie was the first one who ever pointed it out to me. The customer obviously had never thought it through either.

I too love this stuff. I have spent hours in bookstores and libraries reading word/phrase origins and the beauty of the 'Cat is that now I hear them from around the world. But I have lot that bother me. Instead of cursing in amazement or something, my grandparents would say, "Well I swan." A lot of people from their generation said it.......How the hell do you "swan" anyway?

I got a few others....this oughta' be a great thread paddy!!

Spaw