Cliches That Don't Make Sense

[Dom Heffner]

The fact this the occurance is viewed as an abnormality, an exception if you will, is proof that in fact that rule does exist. For if the rule did not exist, then there will be nothing notable about the occurance being referenced.

I really appreciate the explanation, and I realize you aren't saying you agree one way or the other, but there are rules that do not have exceptions, so why is it not necessary to have an exception to prove that they exist?

[Dom Heffner]

You can put any percentage over 100% in the same boat..

I agree- if someone is saying they agree with me or behind me. But if you increase 100 by 400, you've increased it by over 100% haven't you?

[max venable]

I've never heard a good explanation for "It's raining cats and dogs."

[OldRightHander]

I've never heard a good explanation for "It's raining cats and dogs."

The explanation I heard, and I'm not absolutely sure of the veracity, is that it dates to 19th century London. Apparently in some of the poorer parts of town the houses all touched and one could go from rooftop to rooftop. Folks would exercise their pets on the rooftops but when it rained the roof would get wet and slippery and the folks walking on the street would see cats and dogs falling from above. I've not researched that, but that is the explanation I heard several years ago.

I think the baby with the bathwater one dates to the 19th century as well when people without running water would heat water on the stove and fill the bathtub by hand. Apparently the whole family would then take turns using the tub and there was some pecking order for use of the bathtub. Dad got first dibs, followed by Mom and then the kids. The youngest child would be the last to use the tub. I guess it would be a good idea to remove the child before throwing out the water.

[redsfanmia]

"The whole nine yards." I hate this one because everyone says it, but no one understands what it's referring to.

There is a lot of debate in regards to its origin, but one thing's for sure -- it's not about football.

I though that fabric came in 9 yard rolls hence buying the whole nine yards. I dont know if this is correct but thats what I think.

[Maldonado]

"I COULD care less" when you really mean to say "I COULDN'T care less" is one that drives me insane.

[deltachi8]

I thought the Whole Nine yards refers to the length of the ammo strips used to fill machine guns in WWII or so. They came in 9 yard lengths, so when you went to unload on a target, you gave them the whole nine yards.

I could be wrong though, I often am.

[gonelong]

Dead as a doorknob

The saying should be "dead as a doornail". These sayings morph over the course of time, mostly because the original meaning is lost on the next generation(s). We have doorknobs, but nobody knows what a door-nail is. That is why you get knuckleheads saying "a tough road to hoe". Who the heck would hoe a road? I guess that would be tough! Its a row. You hoe a row, as in a row of corn or whatever.

In the good old days they would tear buildings down and re-use whatever nails they could. In those days when they would hang a door they would bend the end of the nails on the other side so they wouldn't pull out. Hence, "doornails" were not able to be re-used. Dead as a door-nail.

My grandpa lived into his 90's and I'd ask him about this stuff all the time. He was more than happy to tell me what they all meant and I was more than happy to listen. I know a bit about the meanings of those old sayings, or at least what my Grandpa's interpretation of them was.

I have considered changing my user name to "Good Eats" or "Prit'near" more than once, as a memorial to good old Grandpa.

GL

[gonelong]

I thought the Whole Nine yards refers to the length of the ammo strips used to fill machine guns in WWII or so. They came in 9 yard lengths, so when you went to unload on a target, you gave them the whole nine yards.

I could be wrong though, I often am.

That is the way I understand it as well ... though I have also heard the 9 yds of fabric and the 9 cubic yards of concrete on a truck.

GL

[gonelong]

Doesn't "Waste not, want not" mean that it's wise not to waste in the sense that, by not wasting what you have in the now, in the future you won't want for anything? I think there's a temporal factor to the saying. Also, I think the sense of the word "want" means "lack" more than our more contemporary (and limited) sense of word "want," meaning "desire." In other words, "Waste not, lack not." Does that make sense?

Thats how I understand it.

But here's one that flat-out pisses me off: "A stitch in time saves nine" Huh?

Back in the day when you sewed and mended your own clothes, a stitch in time would literally save 9. If you noticed a whole in your sock or a tear in your pants you would mend it pretty quick. If you let it go for awhile, chances were pretty good the whole would be bigger or the rip would catch on something and rip much wider. If you applied the one stitch in a timely manner, you would certainly save yourself much more sewing than if you didn't.

GL

[Johnny Footstool]

I thought the Whole Nine yards refers to the length of the ammo strips used to fill machine guns in WWII or so. They came in 9 yard lengths, so when you went to unload on a target, you gave them the whole nine yards.

I could be wrong though, I often am.

That is the way I understand it as well ... though I have also heard the 9 yds of fabric and the 9 cubic yards of concrete on a truck.

I've heard both of those theories.

I've read that most concrete trucks can only hold about 4.5-5 cubic yards of concrete.

I've also heard it takes 9 yards of cloth to make a Scotsman's kilt (untrue).

[gonelong]

The explanation I heard, and I'm not absolutely sure of the veracity, is that it dates to 19th century London. Apparently in some of the poorer parts of town the houses all touched and one could go from rooftop to rooftop.

From what I have heard ... there were no sewers, so when it rained hard the animals would have nowhere to go but on the roof to escape the water that would fill the streets. On particularly nasty days (hard rains) the cats and dogs would slip off the roof or even fall through it.

GL

[gonelong]

I've read that most concrete trucks can only hold about 4.5-5 cubic yards of concrete.

Me to, I have yet to google it, but I wonder what they used when the were making the Hoover dam? I wonder if they had 9 yards of concrete on trucks or buckets, etc. for that?

Nope: googled and found they only had 8 yd buckets.

GL

[RedsBaron]

"I COULD care less" when you really mean to say "I COULDN'T care less" is one that drives me insane.

I started to post that one-it drives me crazy too.

[Rojo]

What I don't get is why anyone would want a skinned cat or canned worms.