# I thought that was a \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 31, 2008, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-that-was-a-_________/443404 "2008-03-31T17:01:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-that-was-a-_________/443404/161 "2008-04-08T12:51:01Z")
[QUOTE=Zeldar] … what people go to a tailor to have done [/QUOTE] No, sorry – alterations is an olden oath – “What in \_\_\_!” ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-that-was-a-_________/443404/162 "2008-04-08T12:53:41Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] No, sorry – alterations is an olden oath – “What in \_\_\_!” [/QUOTE] Hee hee, you have to be kidding! tarnation is what silver and other precious metals do instead of rust ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-that-was-a-_________/443404/163 "2008-04-08T13:05:57Z")
[QUOTE=Zeldar] what silver and other precious metals do instead of rust [/QUOTE] Close, but no cigar. That’s the stuff you use to finish wood, or an old-fashioned name for nail polish. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-that-was-a-_________/443404/164 "2008-04-08T13:20:58Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] Close, but no cigar. That’s the stuff you use to finish wood, or an old-fashioned name for nail polish. [/QUOTE] WIBD, you learn something new every day if you keep your eyes, ears and nostrils open. I would have sworn that varnish was the name for a lot of dead, dying and hacked up bodies lying around after a wreck or a battle or a rock concert ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-that-was-a-_________/443404/165 "2008-04-08T13:22:47Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] Close, but no cigar. That’s the stuff you use to finish wood, or an old-fashioned name for nail polish. [/QUOTE] It’s not old-fashioned, it’s English. Anyway, varnish is when a house comes with chairs and tables and things already in it. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-that-was-a-_________/443404/166 "2008-04-08T13:23:34Z")
[QUOTE=Zeldar] was the name for a lot of dead, dying and hacked up bodies lying around after a wreck or a battle or a rock concert [/QUOTE] No, no, no. That’s the name of that Egyptian temple right near the pyramid at Luxor. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-that-was-a-_________/443404/167 "2008-04-08T13:35:37Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] No, no, no. That’s the name of that Egyptian temple right near the pyramid at Luxor. [/QUOTE] This is spooky! I honestly believe that both you and **Really Not All That Bright** with furnished and Karnak are thinking of that large container for burning coal or the heating unit employing other fuels ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-that-was-a-_________/443404/168 "2008-04-08T14:13:00Z")
[QUOTE=Zeldar] I believe what you’re thinking is a type of music, namely [/QUOTE] Thanks for the save, I understand _now_ how the game works :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-that-was-a-_________/443404/169 "2008-04-08T14:19:16Z")
[QUOTE=Pushkin] Thanks for the save, I understand _now_ how the game works :smack: [/QUOTE] Not to worry. Except by example and by adjusting to the flow of the thread I don’t think any “rules” have been spelled out precisely. I even asked a few posts back if there’s an official (or at least common) name for this activity. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-that-was-a-_________/443404/170 "2008-04-08T14:25:01Z")
[QUOTE=Zeldar] ..that large container for burning coal or the heating unit employing other fuels [/QUOTE] … if you were from Philly, I’d assume when you said furnaceyou were thinking of a famous architect from the turn of the last century, but since no one outside of Philly has heard of him, you’re probably actually thinking of a state of agitation. ETA: Yeah, we’re definitely making this up as we go along. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-that-was-a-_________/443404/171 "2008-04-08T16:11:55Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] … if you were from Philly, I’d assume when you said furnaceyou were thinking of a famous architect from the turn of the last century, but since no one outside of Philly has heard of him, you’re probably actually thinking of a state of agitation. [/QUOTE] Well, not being from that area I relied on Wikipedia to suggest that when you refer to Furness I have to believe you’re talking about the Contract Bridge term for making a low card win a trick when there are higher cards in play. (And I’ll leave the agitation thing for another offshoot if somebody else wants to go that way.) ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-that-was-a-_________/443404/172 "2008-04-08T17:35:35Z")
[out of game]Wow. I’m truly impressed you got that one.[/oog] Nope, sorry, finesse is an Irish beer. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-that-was-a-_________/443404/173 "2008-04-08T17:42:25Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] [out of game]Wow. I’m truly impressed you got that one.[/oog] Nope, sorry, finesse is an Irish beer. [/QUOTE] [OOG] Thanks, but it’s Wikipedia and not me [/OOG] When you say Guinness aren’t you really thinking either about the little chickenlike fowl or that South Sea Island nation? Or one of those British coins? ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-that-was-a-_________/443404/174 "2008-04-08T18:30:55Z")
[QUOTE=Zeldar] aren’t you really thinking either about the little chickenlike fowl or that South Sea Island nation? Or one of those British coins? [/QUOTE] No, I’m thinking about the guy who played Daddy Warbucks in the film verson of _Annie_. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-that-was-a-_________/443404/175 "2008-04-08T18:32:18Z")
No, you’re thinking of Kevin’s girlfriend in _The Wonder Years._ ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-that-was-a-_________/443404/176 "2008-04-08T18:42:21Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] No, you’re thinking of Kevin’s girlfriend in _The Wonder Years._ [/QUOTE] Please! You’re thinking of the leader of Elton’s group called The Jets. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-that-was-a-_________/443404/177 "2008-04-08T18:49:38Z")
[QUOTE=Zeldar] Please! You’re thinking of the leader of Elton’s group called The Jets. [/QUOTE] The same one who went on a crime spree with Clyde? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-that-was-a-_________/443404/178 "2008-04-08T18:50:44Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] The same one who went on a crime spree with Clyde? [/QUOTE] Not that one. The one that hosted the _Tonight Show_ before Leno ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-that-was-a-_________/443404/179 "2008-04-08T18:53:47Z")
[QUOTE=Zeldar] Not that one. The one that hosted the _Tonight Show_ before Leno [/QUOTE] (watch me jump tracks!) Oh, right, the guy whose last name meant the same as setting people’s stuff on fire. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-that-was-a-_________/443404/180 "2008-04-08T18:56:24Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] (watch me jump tracks!) Oh, right, the guy whose last name meant the same as setting people’s stuff on fire. [/QUOTE] Don’t be silly. That’s the poison that’s sometimes paired with “Old Lace.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-that-was-a-_________/443404.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-that-was-a-_________/443404.md?page=10)