Common Words and Phrases

[William Safire is not the source of these accounts.]

In George Washington's days, there were no cameras. One's
image was either sculpted or painted. Some paintings of
George Washington showed him standing behind a desk with one
arm behind his back while others showed both legs and both
arms. Prices charged by painters were not based on how many
people were to be painted, but by how many limbs were to be
painted. Arms and legs are 'limbs,' therefore painting them
would cost the buyer more. Hence the expression, 'Okay, but
it'll cost you an arm and a leg.' (Artists know hands and
arms are more difficult to paint)
*******
As incredible as it sounds, men and women took baths only
twice a year (May and October) Women kept their hair covered,
while men shaved their heads (because of lice and bugs) and
wore wigs. Wealthy men could afford good wigs made from wool.
They couldn't wash the wigs, so to clean them they would carve
out a loaf of bread, put the wig in the shell, and bake it for
30 minutes. The heat would make the wig big and fluffy, hence
the term 'big wig.' Today we often use the term 'here comes
the Big Wig' because someone appears to be or is powerful and
wealthy.
*******
In the late 1700's, many houses consisted of a large room with
only one chair. Commonly, a long wide board folded down from
the wall, and was used for dining. The 'head of the household'
always sat in the chair while everyone else ate sitting on the
floor.. Occasionally a guest, who was usually a man, would be
invited to sit in this chair during a meal. To sit in the
chair meant you were important and in charge. They called the
one sitting in the chair the 'chair man.' Today in business,
we use the expression or title 'Chairman' or 'Chairman of the
Board..'
*******
Personal hygiene left much room for improvement. As a result,
many women and men had developed acne scars by adulthood. The
women would spread bee's wax over their facial skin to smooth
out their complexions. When they were speaking to each other,
if a woman began to stare at another woman's face she was
told, 'mind your own bee's wax.' Should the woman smile, the
wax would crack, hence the term 'crack a smile'. In addition,
when they sat too close to the fire, the wax would melt . . .
Therefore, the expression 'losing face.'
*******
Ladies wore corsets, which would lace up in the front. A
proper and dignified woman, as in 'straight laced'. .. Wore a
tightly tied lace.
*******
Common entertainment included playing cards.. However, there
was a tax levied when purchasing playing cards but only
applicable to the 'Ace of Spades.' To avoid paying the tax,
people would purchase 51 cards instead. Yet, since most games
require 52 cards, these people were thought to be stupid or
dumb because they weren't 'playing with a full deck.'
*******
Early politicians required feedback from the public to
determine what the people considered important. Since there
were no telephones, TV's or radios, the politicians sent their
assistants to local taverns, pubs, and bars. They were told
to 'go sip some ale' and listen to people's conversations and
political concerns.. Many assistants were dispatched at
different times.. 'You go sip here' and 'You go sip there.'
The two words 'go sip' were eventually combined when referring
to the local opinion and, thus we have the term 'gossip.'
*******
At local taverns, pubs, and bars, people drank from pint and
quart-sized containers. A bar maid's job was to keep an eye on
the customers and keep the drinks coming. She had to pay
close attention and remember who was drinking in 'pints' and
who was drinking in 'quarts,' hence the term 'minding your'P's
and Q's '
*******
In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many
freighters carried iron cannons. Those cannons fired round
iron cannon balls. It was necessary to keep a good supply
near the cannon. However, how to prevent them from rolling
about the deck? The best storage method devised was a
square-based pyramid with one ball on top, resting on four
resting on nine, which rested on sixteen. Thus, a supply of
30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small area right next to
the cannon. There was only one problem...how to prevent the
bottom layer from sliding or rolling from under the others.
The solution was a metal plate called a 'Monkey' with 16 round
indentations.
However, if this plate were made of iron, the iron balls would
quickly rust to it. The solution to the rusting problem was to
make 'Brass Monkeys.' Few landlubbers realize that brass
contracts much more and much faster than iron when chilled.
Consequently, when the temperature dropped too far, the brass
indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannonballs
would come right off the monkey. Thus, it was quite
literally, 'Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass
monkey.'