It's a shorthand way of saying "all but a small amount." So it really means "almost entirely."Instant K4rma said:_____ Was all but ____
Example: The village was all but destroyed.
Translation: The village was destroyed.
But wait, I thought it was all but destroyed? No?
What is this I don't even....
I think that hearkens back to the days of the plague, when they were more (or just as) susceptible to it than humans. And it was their gait and general malaise that that expression arose from.dorkette1990 said:OT: "Sick as a dog". To my knowledge, dogs are not known for being terribly ill...
It's to do with steam train engines I think, and what happened to a certain valve when you went full speed. Though googling to check i remembered correctly i found that it could also be to do with the throttle's position in a full-speed jet fighter. Either way, there's no testicles involved. Hooray!BlakBladz said:balls to the wall action. I don't get it.
I've always had an issue with "A poor workman blames his tools." I sorta get the idea behind it, I just think that there has to be a better way to say it.[/quote]BlakBladz said:balls to the wall action. I don't get it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxymoron#EtymologyTehChef said:Not a phrase, but a word that never made sense to me is "oxymoron". The only thing my wife and I can come up with is that there are probably no morons studying at Oxford, therefore, if there were an Oxford moron, it would describe a contradictory thing. Anyone know how close we are to the truth?
Um...yes, they do eat horses some places.Beautiful End said:"So hungry, I could eat a horse"
Why? I've heard people say "I could eat a cow". That's fine. But horses? Who would eat a horse? Is there such thing as roasted horse meat or something?
Wow, really? Man...can't say it sounds appetizing...probably because it's something I hadn't considered...but dang!EmperorSubcutaneous said:Um...yes, they do eat horses some places.Beautiful End said:"So hungry, I could eat a horse"
Why? I've heard people say "I could eat a cow". That's fine. But horses? Who would eat a horse? Is there such thing as roasted horse meat or something?
But the saying just means that a horse is both very large and not something you would normally eat. So you would have to be extremely hungry to consider it.
The connection is that in plays (musicals, opera, etc) and movies, when things are all sad and super cereal, they generally play slow, sad violin music. It's mostly a reference to the cultural zeitgeist, where violins generally are used for the depressing moments.the spud said:I still don't see the connection between whining and tiny violins. It isn't like it makes a difference.
Somebody's been maiking lots of threads.
http://mythbustersresults.com/cold-feetBeautiful End said:Also, "When shit hits the fan" and it's related phrases.
Why would the shit hit the fan? Is it piling up in a room and it's about to reach the roof? Or is there a fan oscillating and the shit is slowly approaching? Or is someone gonna toss the shit at the fan and it will cause it to splatter everywhere?
I think it's meant to be you'd give someone a reason that's actually worth crying about.Rawne1980 said:I remember as a child my sister burst into tears and my dad said "if you don't be quiet i'll give you something to cry about".
Er, dad ... she's already crying numbnuts your comment made no sense.
Another parent one and i'm guilty of using this myself.
"Dad, can we go to the beach"
"No"
"Aww dad why not?"
"Just because"
Just because. Because bloody what?
As in the shit would be sent flying everywhere by splattering off the fan.Beautiful End said:Also, "When shit hits the fan" and it's related phrases.
Why would the shit hit the fan? Is it piling up in a room and it's about to reach the roof? Or is there a fan oscillating and the shit is slowly approaching? Or is someone gonna toss the shit at the fan and it will cause it to splatter everywhere?