Mindless Crap July 2002 Stump Me Questions (and Answers)

Stump Me Questions Answered in July 2002

Q.: I'm trying to find the origin of "Colder than a witch's titty in a brass bra." While it makes a very graphic portrayal of a cold day does it have a logical explanation. After all, "Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey" is graphic too but it has a legitimate, non-dirty origin. Is the brass bra statement the same?
- Rita

A.: The only reference I've been able to find for this is in Cassell's Dictionary of Slang, which lists its approximate time of origin in the 1960s. For this one, it doesn't explain how it came about, though. By the way, there's a second definition for it: emotionally very unfriendly.

Q.: Hello. I would like to know the meaning and origin the phrase "to extend an olive branch."
- Darrell D.

A.: In the biblical story of the Noah and the great flood, a freshly plucked olive branch was the first thing to give hope to Noah and his shipmates. This finding was soon followed by a promise that the flood would never be repeated. As a result of that incident, an olive branch became a symbol of peace and good will. The expression born in Egypt soon spread across the world and became a universally understood message.

Q.: My co-worker and I have been trying to find out where the phrase "For Pete's Sake" came from. Any ideas?
- Gail C.

A.: It started sometime in the 1920s as an offshoot of the expression "For the love of Pete!" That expression can be traced to the United States in the late 1900s. Actually, the name Pete means nothing because there are examples of other names used in its place (Mike being the most common). It's generally believed that both expressions came from the euphemistic expression "Moses!," which was a explanation of surprise or alarm.

Q.: Do you know the origin of the phrase..."goose is cooked?" I know what it means but wonder from whence it came.
- Beau

A.: While there's a number of origins out there, a consensus does exist between two of the more reliable sources, The Handbook of Literary Curiosities and Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Both attribute its origin to an incident that occurred during the reign of Eric XIV (around 1560), the "Mad King of Sweden." The following is the wording of an anonymous chronicler:

"The Kyng of Swedland coming to a town of his enemyes with very little company, his enemyes, to slyghte his forces, did hang out a goose for him to shoote, but perceiving before nyghte that these fewe soldiers had invaded and sette their chefe houlds on fire, they demanded of him what his intent was, to whom he replyed 'To cook your goose.'"

Q.: There is an old phrase that I'm not sure of the beginning. It goes something like:
1. With a lick and a promise.
2. A lick and a promise.
3. Do it with a lick and a promise.
4. Don't do it with a lick and a promise.

I was under the assumption it meant don't do something half way, do it to the best of your ability. But I just heard otherwise. Please let me know. Thanks, I don't want to be embarrassed!
- Mary N. and Mary Lynn D.

A.: If someone has taken a washcloth and lightly washed their face, they have given themselves a lick and a promise - essentially a light cleaning with the intention to do a better job in the near future. The same expression has been applied to people who do work half-assed. They expression can be traced back for several centuries, but can't be exactly pinpointed since examples of its literary use are not recorded.

Q.: I�m trying to find out the origin to grand in reference to $1,000.00. Who started this and when did this word become a simile for thousand? If you can find an answer, please let me know. Thanks!
- Pete

A.: Surprisingly enough, I was able to track this one down to the year it started: 1921. Originating in the United States, this expression was taken from the adjective form of the word, which itself originated sometime between 1125 and 1130. That form meant big, great or full-grown. I haven't been able to find out why grand became synonymous with $1,000, though.

Q.: I am trying to get the origin and the first use of the word cowabunga. Any help there?
- Bev & Todd

A.: The best answer I've been able to find comes from Cassell's Disctionary Slang (again). Though it's casually treated as a surfing term, it actually originated in the 1950s as a greeting exchanged between Buffalo Bob and Chief Thunderthud on the American children's show Howdy Doody.

Q.: I have always been interested in the origin of words and phrases and every time I run across one I jot it down and try to find the origin of it. I have a list of about 12, but will hit you with just the first one......ruptured duck.
- Madeline C.

A.: The ruptured duck is a United States military expression that started in the 1940s representing the lapel pin or pocket insignia worn by honorably discharged U.S. servicemen after World War II. The original ruptured duck was a cloth insignia depicting an eagle inside a wreath and was worn on uniforms above the right breast pocket. No one knows for sure how the name came about - it's sometimes also referred to as the screaming eagle - but one of the more popular stories is that some of the returning soldiers thought the eagle looked more like a duck. Because it meant they were going home, the popular saying was, "They took off like a Ruptured Duck."

Q.: What is the origin / meaning of the phrase, "You ain't just whistling dixie?"
- Maria T.

A.: It's an expression meaning that you're not kidding around. It surfaced during the 20th century, but it's roots come from the song Dixie Land. Nobody seems to know for sure how "whistling dixie" came to signify being serious about something. Dixie itself is thought to be an abbreviation of the Mason-Dixon line, which divide the North and South prior to the U.S. Civil War.

Q.: What's the origin of the word TRIVIA?
- William B.

A.: Believe it or not, it comes from the Latin word trivia, which was a common place where roads met. The word "common" is the key part of this since trivia's core meaning is "an unimportant matter." The expanded definition is useless knowledge.

Q.: How did the washer component of a nut-bolt assembly get its name?
- Lisa and Gweilo

A.: This is an exact quote from the Dictionary of Etymology: "Development of the meaning of a flat ring for sealing joints or holding nuts, perhaps a separate word has not been accounted for." It can be traced back to between 1275 and 1325 and is believed to be derived from Middle English.

Q.: Here's one I've been wondering about for years. My gramma used to use the phrase "He's wound up tighter than Dick's hatband" when referring to anyone in a highly agitated or nervous state. I don't know if this was something she just made up herself or if there is any history to the phrase?
- Karen P.

A.: It's a real expression. The Dick mentioned here was Richard Cromwell, "Lord Protector" of England between September 1658 and May 1659. He had been nominated by his father, Oliver, to succeed him in this high office. But whereas Oliver Cromwell had served as quasi-king of England following the death of Charles I in 1649, Richard Cromwell would gladly have accepted both title and crown had the army not been so hostile to Richard and such an action. Richard was shortly dismissed from his office. The "hatband" was the British crown, which was deemed too "tight" for him to have worn it safely.

Q.: How about "kick the bucket," meaning to die?
- Bob A.

A.: There's a number of potentially valid explanations, but the oldest one dates back to the 1860s. In East Anglia, "to kick the bucket" alluded to the way in which a slaughtered pig was hung up. The bucket referred to a bent piece of wood placed behind the tendons of the hind legs of the pig by which the animal was suspended to a hook in a beam. It's thought that the dying convulsive struggles of the pig became the literal origin of the phrase.

Q.: Where did the word gymnasium come from? I can't seem to get a straight answer for this question.
- Cheryl N.

A.: This answer already appears in the Origins section. In ancient Greece, athletes wore little or nothing when practicing. Gymnasium literally means "to train naked."

Q.: In baseball, how did the term bullpen originate in use?
- No Name Given

A.: Large numbers of civilians were placed under military arrest during the U.S. Civil War, and the prisons weren't large enough to hold everyone. Temporary stockades were built to accommodate the extra people, but the structures resembled cattle pens and the prisoners were as helpless as steers. Thus, these facilities came to be known as bull pens. While I wasn't able to find any information on who started calling it the bullpen, the expression filtered into baseball because the players waiting are essentially confined to a certain area - away from the other players - similar to steers waiting to be loaded on a train.

Q.: What is the country of origin for "BUGGER?" A couple of my friends from Australia are insisting that it originates in Australia. Please help me figure this out, I'm going insane here.
- Grant W.

A.: I'm not really sure where it's from, but I don't think it's Australian. Try to follow this. The Bulgarians were regarded by Western Europeans as heretics. Thus it was that the Latin word "Bulgarus" came to be applied generically to any heretic. It was passed on via the Old French word "bougre" and Middle Dutch "bugger" into English sometime in the 16th century. Along the way it acquired bigoted associations of heresy with anal sex. The weakened use of the word - the one we have today - as a general term of abuse dates from the early 18th century.

Q.: Where did the word drawers come from in relation to underpants or knickers?
- Deb A.

A.: Sometime during the 16th century, drawers came to be associated with undergarments. A drawer is something that's literally pulled out. The use of the term is based on the French word "tiroir" (drawer), which was similarly derived from the verb "tirer" (to pull). The same basic notion underlies the usage of drawers to represent knickers, which were originally "garment pulled on."

Q.: How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
- Zach

A.: He'd chuck as much wood as a woodchuck could, if a woodchuck could chuck wood.

Q.: Can you tell me who first used the word "earth?" It is Old English, and spelled "eorthe", but I cannot find who first used it in the Old English. Thank you!
- Kate

A.: According to the Dictionary of Etymology, the Old English word "eorthe," meaning ground, soil, or earth, first appeared around 725 in Beowulf (unfortunately, nobody knows who wrote it so it doesn't help you in finding out who first used the word). From there, the Old Frisian word erthe came about in 1137, from which our modern word earth is derived. Hope that helps.

Q.: Hi. Just wondering if you know the origin of the word "Eddie" as it refers to that backwards turning water behind a rock or other object in a river.
- Michelle M.

A.: The ultimate source of the word appears to be a prehistoric Germanic particle meaning "back, again." According to this theory, an eddy (it's proper spelling) would thus be water that flows back. What is not clear is precisely how that prehistoric particle became "eddy," which is a 15th century word. The most likely scenario holds that the missing link is the Old Norse "itha" (whirlpool), but there is also a possibility that the 14th century Scottish word "ydy" may play a part.

Q.: What is the origin of the word RAZOR?
- Greg B. and Charlie B.

A.: There's no tricks with this one. The word comes from the Old French "rasor," which is a derivative of "raser," meaning to scrape or to shave.

Q.: Where does the word "Bagel" originate from?
- Jeffrey C.

A.: It's from the Yiddish word beygl.

Q.: I don't know if anyone has asked you this question or not, but I was wondering, what is the origin of the word "Godspeed" and what does it mean?
- F.C.

A.: Godspeed, which is a well-wish of good fortune or success on a journey or new venture, came about sometime between 1250 and 1300. It's original Middle English expression was actually "God spede, may God prosper you."

Q.: I would like to find the origin to the word "Kudos". Its origin is Greek, that is all I can find.
- Sharon G.

A.: You're right about it originating from Greek. It come from the word "kŷdos," meaning glory, fame or renown. It was brought into the English language sometime around 1831.

Q.: What is the origin of the term "shortening" as it applies to cooking. I believe "lard" was considered a shortening.?
- John

A.: It started in 1823 and is derived from one of the definitions of "shorten" (make crumbly or easily crumbled).

Q.: Sometimes musicians refer to performances as "gigs". When and where did this slang term come from?
- Mark

A.: It's a good thing you didn't ask why, because nobody knows for certain how the word came into existence. Jazz musicians in the southern U.S. were using it as far back as 1905.

Q.: A friend and I have been stumped by the origin of the word TAXI. All over the world this word is used, but so far we have not been able to find its origin. Please help.
- John S.

A.: It dates back to 1907 and is short for taximeter cabriolet. Taximeter comes from the German word "taxameter," which was a meter used to record distance and fare for horse-drawn carriages. The cabriolet was a light two-wheeled vehicle built in France in the late 1800s. It was drawn by a single horse and had a large leather hood and a leather apron to protect the legs of its one or two passengers from the mud on the ground.

Q.: How did the word "trim" come to be slang for vagina?
- Richard L.

A.: Not much is known about its origins. What I was able to find comes from Cassell's Dictionary of Slang. It originates as U.S. African American slang from the 1930s and possibly owes its roots to the Standard English definition of trim: neat, attractive or pretty.

Q.: I was looking for the origin of the word Smarmy.
- No Name Given

A.: Its an old 1930s expression meant to label someone as being smug or self-righteous. Its root word "smarm" is believed to come from the Standard English word "smalm," which means to smooth down with some form of greasy substance.

Q.: Can you please tell me the origin of the word "chintzy?"
- Gabrielle

A.: OK, try to follow me on this one. Chintzy came about in the 20th century United States. It comes from the word "chinchy" which has been around since the mid-1700s (chinchy means stingy). Chinchy gets its roots from the 1400's Standard English word "chiche," meaning parsimonious or mean.

Q.: Where does the term �86� come from? An example would be at a restaurant they run out of the daily special, the wait staff is told to �86� the special.
- Greg S.

A.: It's funny that you used the restaurant example because that's where it comes from. It's rhyming slang for "nix." It originally was for bar use in the 1960s indicating that the supply of an item was exhausted or that a customer was not to be served.

Q.: I was trying to determine the origin of the word "Odds Bodkins" which just jumped into my peabrain whilst answering someone else's question on a sewing list that I'm on. They were asking about "holding clamps" and one kind is called a Bodkin. But I remember my grandmother {long dead} using the term Odds Bodkins.
- Jim

A.: Actually, the exclamation is spelled "odsbodikins!" It means a general oath and first appeared in the 18th century book, God's Little Body.

Q.: Where does the phrase "pardon my French" come from?
- Charles C.

A.: The phrase in this form started out in the 1950s as an offshoot of "excuse my French." This is a result of racial stereotyping - Anglo-Saxons of the late 19th century blamed the French for anything remotely dirty. The belief started in the mid 19th century and held that was France sex-obsessed and pornographic.

Q.: How did New Orleans, LA get the name "The Big Easy?"
- No Name Given

A.: The name's not that old. It was coined in the 1970 book The Big Easy, by James Conaway. It stereotyped the free and easy lifestyle of the locals.

Q.: On the Internet, where would I find the meaning of "the cat's pajamas?"
- Al C.

A.: Right here. You probably haven't been able to find it because the expression is actually spelled "cat's pyjamas." It was coined by American sportswriter T.A. "Tad" Dorgan in the 1920's. It means anything exceptional, a superior person, or someone who poses as such.

Q.: How about the origin of "when the shit hits the fan."
- Bob A.

A.: Unfortunately, there's little out there about the expression's origins. Everything I've found on it comes from Cassell's Dictionary of Slang. It started out in the 1940s and spawned several alternative versions, such as "the omelette hits the fan," "the excrement hits the air conditioning," and "the solids hit the air conditioning." Sorry I couldn't help you more.

Q.: 1) I've heard the expression "You talk like a man with a paper asshole!" What is this referring to and how did it get started?
2) If a tree falls in the woods and there's NOTHING around to hear it, does it make a sound?
- Kevin M.

A.: 1) The expression means to talk nonsense or being full of shit, and has been around in the United States since the 1940s. How it came about is uncertain.

2) Yup. It doesn't matter that nothing was around to hear it. Sound happens. Just as when there is no sound you're hearing the sound of silence. Damn, that was fun!

Q.: Do any of you "old timers" out there remember the lyrics to a WW2 song that came out of the period of time when Germany had sustained bombing of London. I think the name of the song was My sister and I. I remember one of the lines was "My sister and I recall the day, we said goodbye and we sailed away. Now we think of the ones who had to stay."
- John

A.: The song is indeed called My Sister and I, and it was performed by Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. However, the song was about the bombings in Holland, not England. Here are the lyrics:

My sister and I remember still
A tulip garden by an old Dutch mill,
And the home that was all our own until ...
But we don't talk about that.

My sister and I recall once more
The fishing schooners pulling into shore,
And the dog-cart we drove in days before ...
But we don't talk about that.

We're learning to forget the fear
That came from a troubled sky.
We're almost happy over here,
But sometimes we wake at night and cry.

My sister and I recall the day
We said goodbye, then we sailed away.
And we think of our friends that had to stay,
But we don't talk about that.

Q.: Why is "abbreviated" such a long word?
- No Name Given

A.: Because it's an example of itself. What better way to explain what an abbreviation is than to have a word long enough to abbreviate? By the way, its abbreviation is abrv.

Q.: What is Dorothy�s last name in the Wizard of Oz?
- No Name Given

A.: Gale.

Q.: Please give me the 21 songs that Stevie Wonder won Grammys with. Thank you.
- Tyrone J.

A.: According to the official Grammys Web site, Stevie Wonder has won 18 awards, not 21. Here's the list:

1998
Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)/Best Background Arrangement
Best Male R&B Vocal Performance

1995
Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
Best R&B Song

1986
Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal

1985
Best Male R&B Vocal Performance

1976
Album Of The Year
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical
Best Male R&B Vocal Performance

1974
Album Of The Year
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
Best R&B Song

1973
Album Of The Year
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
Best R&B Song

Q.: In the 80's song Safety Dance by Men Without Hats, does he really have no friends that don't dance? Cause the lead singer states: "Cause your friends don't dance and if they don't dance, Well they're are no friends of mine."
- Lauren

A.: He probably has friends that don't dance. He just won't be friends with YOUR friends who don't dance. He's a picky guy.

Q.: If protons have mass, are they Catholic?
- No Name Given

A.: Nope, they just like to get together every now and then.

Q.: What's the origin of giving someone the finger?
- Greg S.

A.: The "one-finger salute" is thousands of years old. In Gestures: Their Origins and Distribution, it's noted that the finger is mentioned several times in the literature of ancient Rome. For example, Martial once wrote, "Laugh loudly, Sextillus, when someone calls you a queen and put your middle finger out." In another reference, Martial wrote that a certain party "points a finger, an indecent one, at "some other people."

The historian Suetonius, writing about Augustus Caesar, says the emperor "expelled [the entertainer] Pylades because when a spectator started to hiss, he called the attention of the whole audience to him with an obscene movement of his middle finger." It's also been said that Caligula, as an insult, would extend his middle finger for supplicants to kiss.

It's not known whether one displayed the finger in the same manner that we flip the bird today. Thanks to Cecil Adams for the help.

Q.: In the movie The Matrix, how many times does agent smith take his sunglasses off?
- Charlotte

A.: Agent Smith willingly took his shades off three times. There were two other times when they were forced off during a fight.

Q.: In the movie Joy Ride, who was Lewis played by?
- No Name Given

A.: Paul Walker. Most people recognize him for his role as Skip Martin in Pleasantville or as Officer Brian O'Conner/Brian Earl Spilner in The Fast and the Furious.

Q.: Was there a sequel to the classic 1963 movie Jason and the Argonauts called Jason and the Golden Fleece?
- Jennifer M.

A.: According to the Internet Movie Database, Jason and the Argonauts was also known as Jason and the Golden Fleece. It wasn't a sequel.

Q.: What are cicadas?
- No Name Given

A.: Cicadas are medium-sized to large insects, some species reaching a length of 3.8 cm (1.5 in). Best known in the United States are the 13-year and 17-year "locusts." Cicadas make up the family Cicadidae, suborder Homoptera.

Q.: Are there words to the piano song Chopsticks? I have a $50 bet riding on this one.
- Gwen

A.: The Celebrated Chop Waltz - the real name of Chopsticks - doesn't have any words. I even checked the sheet music to be sure (yes, there's actually sheet music for this).

Q.: OK, so here's a fairly straightforward question. Last year, a motion picture was released in Japan called Avalon, which was directed by the legendary Mamoru Oshii. Its soundtrack was written by Kenji Kawai, and was performed by the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, with several vocal tracks performed by.... someone. Now I recently noticed that the performer's voice is similar to that of Lisa Gerrard, the vocalist from the group "Dead Can Dance", but I can't find any information on who actually was the performer. Could you help me out here?
- Ixat

A.: If it's Lisa Gerrard then it's uncredited. I checked out the CD and her personal Web site. Neither listed her involvement. The only name I could positively identify was Elzbieta Towamicka.