What’s the origin of the expression “pushing the envelope”? What envelope?
My WAG is that it has something to do with either parachutists or breaking the sound barrier.
Most sources agree that it comes from test pilots, but it’s not strictly from breaking the sound barrier. Here are a few links that talk about it:
Ah. That would refer to the junkies that deal mail.
Oooo! Thanks, Jeff!
Now, if we could just get people to pronounce it ENvelope, not ONvelope…
The ‘o’ sound you are so casually criticising is in fact an ‘e’ sound in some accents and dialects… and it is listed as one of the accepted pronunciations in Merriam Webster.
The pronunciation is probably influenced by the original French.
Not enVELup?