Lyrics & Knowledge Personal Pages Record Shop Auction Links Radio & Media Kids Membership Help
The Mudcat Cafesj



User Name Thread Name Subject Posted
GUEST,Know all. BS: Old expressions explained (127* d) BS: Old expressions explained 15 Aug 05

So the British Navy in the 18th Century had square plates on ships so they would be easier to manage...Hence the expression "Square meal"
"Enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey" is also an expression from the British Navy regarding cannonballs......ie....when they used an iron 'monkey' to hold their cannonballs...the constant hot and cold caused expansion and contraction....when contracting...the cannonballs rolled off the 'monkey' so they used brass which was infallible as regards holding the cannonballs.....to freeze the balls off a brass monkey is an impossibility....... so "Enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey" is incredulous to say the least.
When a flintlock pistol was fired...sometimes the main charge did not ignite.....only the powder in the pan at the side...hence the expression "just a flash in the pan"

Any more please?

Post to this Thread -

Back to the Main Forum Page

By clicking on the User Name, you will requery the forum for that user. You will see everything that he or she has posted with that Mudcat name.

By clicking on the Thread Name, you will be sent to the Forum on that thread as if you selected it from the main Mudcat Forum page.
   * Click on the linked number with * to view the thread split into pages (click "d" for chronologically descending).

By clicking on the Subject, you will also go to the thread as if you selected it from the original Forum page, but also go directly to that particular message.

By clicking on the Date (Posted), you will dig out every message posted that day.

Try it all, you will see.