What The Older Folks Say...

[AU24K]

"Back to square one"...it DOES have something to do with football, lol. (soccer to you).

My research leads me to believe that the phrases' origin lies within the US Military.

Your shot, Mate...

Best,
Scott

 

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[packerbacker]

"I'll be there with bells on"
story goes that the old wagon drivers, horse or mule-drawn, would have bells on their wagons so they could hear each other on the roads, especially at night. If you came across someone that was broke down and you helped them out of their bad situation, they were obliged to give you their wagon bell. "I'll be there with bells on" means I won't have any trouble getting to that destination and I'll be helping folks along the way.

 

[gord]

I was told that 'the whole nine yards' referred to the amount of tartan cloth required to make a proper kilt.

 

[AU24K]

I was told that 'the whole nine yards' referred to the amount of tartan cloth required to make a proper kilt.

Close, but no cigar.
Anyone else with a guess?
Best,
Scott

 

[piegrande]

Yes, we'll be there, God willing and the crick don't rise.

 

[Dano Sverige]

"Back to square one"...it DOES have something to do with football, lol. (soccer to you).

My research leads me to believe that the phrases' origin lies within the US Military.

Your shot, Mate...

Best,
Scott

In the days before tv our soccer matches were broadcast live on the radio sometimes. You could get a card with squares marked 1-10, the commentator would say which square the play was in at any given moment. When players couldn't force a breakout they'd pass the ball back to the keeper to pick it up and kick it upfield.One goals square would be square 10 and the opposite goal would be square one, so going "back to square one" came to signify "to start from the beginning again".
(Don't ask me why we don't have "back to square ten! lol)

 

[Frankn]

"NEVER TAKE THE FORCED CARD" My dad told me.
I later learned while learing magic tricks that the forced card is the one the magician has sticking out of the deck just a little further than the rest, the easyest one to grab. In other words you take the easy way out and he knows your card.

Then there are the piss sayings.
Never piss into the wind, it will always come back on you!
Pissing in the ocean won't change the level.

My granny use to say,"A stitch in time saves nine." In other words, do it before it's to late. It's derived from knitting.

When I asked my dad if running away from a big bulley makes you a coward, he replied," He who hits and runs away, will live to fight another day."

I have also heard, discression is the better part of valor.

 

[packerbacker]

If you find yourself in a fair fight, you have planned poorly.

 

[Goose-0]

I heard that "The whole 9 yards" was the total length of nylon straps that was in a parachute during WW II.

 

[AU24K]

I heard that "The whole 9 yards" was the total length of nylon straps that was in a parachute during WW II.

I believe that machine gun ammo belts came in 9 yard lengths.
That's the explanation I've heard.

Best,
Scott

 

[oldgoat]

Back in the days when banks printed their own money, the banks in Louisiana printed ten dollar bills marked with ten on one side and dix on the other, came to be called dixies, only place they were any good was dixieland....goat

 

[Bubba707]

Got this from an Uncle, retired Col, US Army. A fair fight is where I win.

 

[ivan salis]

a entire small "bolt" of cloth was nine yards in length it was thought of as the "correct" amount needed to make a dress or full suit of clothing --if you bought it all -you took --the whole nine yards--or all of it.--generally only a wealthy person could Afford so cloth much all at once -- but if one wanted everything to match perfectly in a set of clothing they were sewing --a person often wanted to buy it all (the whole bolt of cloth)

going "whole hog" is another phraze - buying it all --the whole thing rather that just a part of it -- meant splurging

 

[WindHarvester]

Stop playing with that or you'll go blind.

 

[5500D]

The whole nine yards refers to the time of sailing ships. When the Captain ordered every sail to be raised it meant all the sails on the vessel or the whole nine yards.

 

[ivan salis]

yards was a term for sails -- nine yards would be nine sails

 

[Frankn]

Old folks say what they think. Others say what they think they should say !
Frank

 

[ivan salis]

speak up I can't hear you

it hurts when I pee.

old folks are a real "treasure" --silver in the hair --gold in the teeth -- gas in the bowels -- stones in the kidneys -- non stop stories ( only problem --its the same one over and over again)

now for the bad news -- if you do not die young --you too one day will be one of "them".

 

[Michaelangelo]

My Dad told me "getting old ain't for sissies"

 

[AU24K]

When I was a kid growing up, my Dad would tell me, "Boy, you best look out! Your Mom is on the warpath!"
That meant go outside and play or if it was raining, go get involved with something in your room like a book, etc.

Best,
Scott