The English language contains some pretty strange phrases. For example, 
"there's more than one way to skin a cat". (Why in the name of God would 
anybody wish to skin a cat??)

Of course, most people know what all these phrases mean (and therefore 
to some extent don't notice them). Being a socially defective human, I 
have come across quite a few phrases that I don't actually understand 
the meaning of. For example,

   "pony up"

What the heck is that supposed to mean? I could take quite a few 
guesses, but this is the kind of thing where unless you *know* the 
answer, there's really no way to deduce it logically. Similarly,

   "put out"

Where I'm from, if somebody is "put out" it means they're dissapointed. 
However, I've seen this in sentence constructions where that 
interpretation doesn't make any sense. (For example, 
http://www.bash.org/?635032 )

And then there's things like

   "stick it to 'em!"

Now what is that supposed to mean? Similarly,

   "riding shotgun"

Wuh?

Also, what *precisely* does

   "make out"

actually mean? From context I have some idea, but I'm unsure of the 
exact meaning. Similarly,

   "third base"

and, while we're on the subject,

   "off base"

Hmm... I need to get out more. :-S

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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On Fri, 04 Apr 2008 10:21:06 +0100, Invisible <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:

>The English language contains some pretty strange phrases. 

Rune (iirc) posted this link a while ago

http://www.wordwizard.com/
-- 

Regards
     Stephen

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Invisible wrote:
> "there's more than one way to skin a cat". (Why in the name of God would 
> anybody wish to skin a cat??)

If you're going to eat a cat, it's best to skin it first.

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Bill Pragnell wrote:
> Invisible wrote:
>> "there's more than one way to skin a cat". (Why in the name of God 
>> would anybody wish to skin a cat??)
> 
> If you're going to eat a cat, it's best to skin it first.

...which leads us to "why in the name of sweet purity would you want to 
*eat* a cat?? There's no friggin' MEAT on it!"

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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Invisible wrote:
> Bill Pragnell wrote:
>> Invisible wrote:
>>> "there's more than one way to skin a cat". (Why in the name of God 
>>> would anybody wish to skin a cat??)
>>
>> If you're going to eat a cat, it's best to skin it first.
> 
> ...which leads us to "why in the name of sweet purity would you want to 
> *eat* a cat?? There's no friggin' MEAT on it!"

They must have at least as much meat as a rabbit. And rabbits are good 
eatin'.

Incidentally, if you're in some foreign food bazaar looking at what look 
like skinned rabbits hanging up, there's a simple way to make sure 
they're not cats. Cats' kidneys are side-by-side across the spine, like 
ours. Rabbits' kidneys are also separated by several inches along the 
spine, asymmetrically.

:-)

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Invisible <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
> The English language contains some pretty strange phrases...

Of the various site dealing with this sort of thing, I like:
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/index.html

BTW, I agree about the cat thing. Now, if the phrase was "There's more than one
way to skin a chihuahua"...

(Kidding, of course. Sane people don't inflict pain on living things no matter
HOW irritating the whiny snarling ill-tempered little vermin are.)

Best Regards,
Mike C.

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Mike the Elder wrote:
> Invisible <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
>> The English language contains some pretty strange phrases...
> 
> Of the various site dealing with this sort of thing, I like:
> http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/index.html
> 
> BTW, I agree about the cat thing. Now, if the phrase was "There's more than one
> way to skin a chihuahua"...
> 
> (Kidding, of course. Sane people don't inflict pain on living things no matter
> HOW irritating the whiny snarling ill-tempered little vermin are.)
> 
> Best Regards,
> Mike C.

There's more than one way to skin a banana?
Nope. Doen't have the same flavour

John
-- 
I will be brief but not nearly so brief as Salvador Dali, who gave the
world's shortest speech. He said, "I will be so brief I am already
finished," then he sat down.

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"Invisible" <voi### [at] devnull> wrote in message 
news:47f5f31b$1@news.povray.org...

>   "pony up"


"Pony up" you are also "Divvying up" which basically means either "pay up" 
or "Lend me some money".

>   "put out"
>
> Where I'm from, if somebody is "put out" it means they're dissapointed. 
> However, I've seen this in sentence constructions where that 
> interpretation doesn't make any sense. (For example, 
> http://www.bash.org/?635032 )

    In that context, I think he's talking about girls "putting it about" or 
"Put out" - can't say I've heard that tem though.


>
> And then there's things like
>
>   "stick it to 'em!"

      Back in the days when guns were rare, you'd have a dagger, a sword or 
a staff to defend yourself. "Stick it to 'em!"


>
> Now what is that supposed to mean? Similarly,
>
>   "riding shotgun"

     Riding shotgun in modern terms as I know it is being a passenger on a 
motorcycle or in a side-car on a motorcycle. But back in the Old Wild West 
where cowboy bandits would try to rob a stage coach, the stage coach would 
often have a guy sitting alongside the driver with a shotgun.


>
> Wuh?
>
> Also, what *precisely* does
>
>   "make out"

    As it says Andrew, as it says.  ;)


>   "third base"

     Generally means that you are approaching the 'last base', or getting 
close to the end of what you're doing.


>
> and, while we're on the subject,
>
>   "off base"

      Not really sure about that one - it might have many connotations.


> Hmm... I need to get out more. :-S

  <Mr. O. Hardy> "You most certainly do Stanley, you most certainly do..." 
;)

     ~Steve~





>
> -- 
> http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
> http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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> (Why in the name of God would anybody wish to skin a cat??)

Because it will annoy the cat...

--
Dan
GoofyGraffix.com

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St. escribió:
> "Invisible" <voi### [at] devnull> wrote in message 
>>   "make out"
> 
>     As it says Andrew, as it says.  ;)

I actually had to look that one up (months ago). Phrasal verbs are 
always confusing. There is a dozen prepositions you can put in front of 
verbs to make them mean something completely different.

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