First, have you watched a bird while it was eating?
Second, no, most birds don’t eat anything like twice their own body weight every day. Poultry and songbirds - the type of birds most familiar to the people who coined the phrase - don’t a have hummingbird metabolism.
Consider how we use the term “chicken feed.”
The race is not always to the swift… Yes, it may be the way to bet – but we also have David and Goliath and the tortoise and the hare.
“I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.”
It’s from Ecclesiastes, the man who gave us hits like “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” I don’t believe in God, but that doesn’t stop me from understanding the importance of the King James Bible.
“The grass is always greener” is a warning.
Those of us who enjoy language are well aware that a bird in the hand does not, in fact, have the ounce-for-ounce market value of two in the bush… okay, that’s enough.
Just remember that being literal-minded is the enemy of being literate.
The one I always hate is “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” Well, what is the road to heaven paved with? BAD intentions? Ambivalent intentions? I set out to do something good… does that mean that it’s automatically going to go sour and wind up killing a million people? If I set out to kill a million people, does that mean I’m going to discover a cure for cancer?
I think the “happy as a clam” phase was coined because a clam’s smile basically encircles their entire body.
Devil May Cry? I haven’t heard that one. I have heard “Devil May Care” meaning carefree or wild.
I have a friend that begins a sentence with “believe you me” when he wants to express a serious tone. I usually answer him with: “Hey, I could care less”.
I always heard that the original expression was “happy as a clam at high tide”. At low tide the clams are exposed and people will go collect them for food. At high tide the clams are safe, ergo happy.
When something is broken we say it’s “on the fritz.” When it’s fixed does this mean it’s off the fritz? And what exactly is a “fritz”, anyway?
Similar to the above, people will say something broken is “out of whack”. I guess fixing it would put it back into whack. “Whack”, in this sense, must mean to be in a functioning state. “My car’s really running well. It’s definitely in whack.”
I believe the emphasis is supposed to be on intentions, as opposed to actions. You know, “I intended to visit the nursing home.” or “I intended to vote.” or “I intended to quit drinking and whoring.” or “I intended to avoid being whooshed.”
Also, since ending a clause with a preposition is the sort of thing up with which I do not put, the title of the OP should surely be “Sayings to which to take exception?”
See, I always thought it was sarcastic. Like, it is within the realm of possibility that I could care less, but I don’t. Sort of “I suppose I could care less, with a supreme effort of will, but I don’t”.
I’ve never heard that one… but “devil may care,” used on its own, is kind of like saying “to Hell with it.” Usually, though, it’s used to describe something or someone that defies authority or is reckless.
The one I don’t really get is “as ________ as the day is long.” As in, “she’s as sweet as the day is long.” I’m really not sure how sweet she is, then.
Yeah, I don’t really get “the day is long” phrase either. I think it is usually used with things that are bad or negative though. Maybe it was coined back in the early 20th century when immigrants typically had work double shifts? Anywho … I am as hungry as the day is long
There is absolutely nothing wrong with ending an English sentence with a preposition. This “rule” was introduced by pedants who were trying to model English grammar rules after Latin grammar rules. English, of course, is not based on Latin. In Latin, I am led to believe, it is impossible to form a coherent sentence ending in a preposition. When the meaning is otherwise clear, it’s perfectly acceptable in English.
Example: The little boy’s father is going to read him a bedtime story. He brings a book about Australia upstairs to the bedroom. “I don’t want that one!” cries the child. “What did you bring that book I didn’t want to be read to about down under up for?” (Actually, it isn’t really 6 prepositions in a row, but it’s close!)
“On the fritz” I’ve always taken to be an onomatopoeic expression, with “fritz” approximating the sound one might get, instead of performance, out of a misbehaving appliance.
I wanted a lighter heart tonight…and all of you have helped me feel better!
Here’s a ponder from me:
When someone continually places the word “Honest!” after something s/he tells me,
my mind perks up and warning signs begin flashing. Why add the word?
“I’d never tell a lie. Honest.” Hmmmm…
Honestly, does anyone else start wondering a little when this is said a few times?!
<–Clams got eyes!