mzawf.org

Nevis wrote:

gonzo wrote:Like who let the cat out the box or a nod is as good as a wink to a blind bat

Its out the bag not box-who let the cat out the bag

I think you are right , but to argue over this might open a "can of worms"

Very good
But what is the origin of the saying

dub wrote:Very good
But what is the origin of the saying

Apparently it is down to fishermen, who would buy bait (worms) in cans. Very easy to open but difficult to close.

The best reference I can find is here http://www.wisegeek.com/what-does-it-me ... -worms.htm

Quite a few more old sayings on this site

A WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING

In Matthew 7:15 Jesus warned his followers of false prophets saying they were like 'wolves in sheep's clothing' outwardly disarming.

'Rubbing the Salt in'...
During the early centuries, when England was developing the Navy, very often sailors where press-ganged into service.
While at sea, punishment was often lashes with a cat-o-nine tails. (A whip consisting of nine
knotted cords fastened to a handle, used in flogging)
These whippings would usually break open the skin, and so salt was then rubbed into the wound to help stave of any infection.
Of course, rubbing salt into an open wound would hurt like crazy.
So in modern times, rubbing salt in your wound, generally means just heaping more pain onto suffering.

'Mad as a Hatter'

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The felt hat industry has been traced to the mid 17th century in France, and it was probably introduced into England some time around 1830. A story passed down in the hat industry gives this account of how mercury came to be used in the process. In Turkey camel hair was used for felt material, and it was discovered that the felting process was speeded up if the fibers were moistened with camel urine. It is said that in France workmen used their own urine, but one particular workman seemed consistently to produce a superior felt. This person was being treated with a mercury compound for syphilis, and an association was made between mercury treatment of the fibers and an improved felt. Eventually the use of solutions of mercuric nitrate was widespread in the felt industry, and mercury poisoning became endemic. Dementia and erethism were indeed a common ailment among 19th Century hatmakers.

The crazy Mad Hatter of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland is becoming widely associated with the effects of Mercury on behavior as well as physiology. Mercury was used to process the felt hats used in England around Lewis' time. Erratic, flamboyant behavior was one of the most evident alterations caused by mercury. (Others included excessive drooling, mood swings, various debilities).
But Lewis Carroll did not invent the phrase, although he did create the character. The phrases 'mad as a hatter' and "mad as a March hare" were common at the time Lewis Carroll wrote (1865 was the first publication date of Alice). The phrase had been in common use in 1837, almost 30 years earlier.

Many believe that the cock n bull story is tied directly to two inns in England called the The Cock and The Bull.
These establishments may have existed before the 17th century and both inns were stopping points for coaches and travellers who rested up prior to journeying onwards.
The practice of the sharing of stories at these inns and of travellers making up tales to entertain each other, especially during exceedingly journeys.
Some tales which may have exagerated and blown up out of proportion resulting in the expression 'A Cock & Bull Story'