Ye Gods and little fishes...
- Thread starter mstang67chic
- Start date
Lothlorien
Active Member
I knew the Ps and Qs thing and now I can't remember for the life of me what it was. I am going to have to go find that one, now.
Pints and quarts appear the most popular, but another was a variation of Please and Thank you (the spin being that thank you is slurred into thankque)
Pints and quarts appear the most popular, but another was a variation of Please and Thank you (the spin being that thank you is slurred into thankque)
KTMom91
Well-Known Member
Ps and Qs are for "pints and quarts" when drinking in a pub. You "mind your ps and qs" so you don't drink too much.
This thread has me thinking about other old sayings. My nana used to say "Ditto, cabbage head!", which could mean either "back atcha" or "I agree." If it was really dark, it was "black as your hat", and when talking about someone she didn't recognize, "I didn't know him from Adam's off ox."
This thread has me thinking about other old sayings. My nana used to say "Ditto, cabbage head!", which could mean either "back atcha" or "I agree." If it was really dark, it was "black as your hat", and when talking about someone she didn't recognize, "I didn't know him from Adam's off ox."
Star*
call 911........call 911
See? That's the trouble with the world today -
Adam has an off ox, and I am still begging for ONE measly little donkey.
Maybe I should ask for an off ox.....you know the ox that isn't on when you're plowing the field - is the off ox. Or maybe they went into the barn to get the ox to hook up to plow the field and the ox had his hoof draped across his head and the farmer said "Oh I can't use him - he's a little off." (hence Off OX)
I should go eat something.
Adam has an off ox, and I am still begging for ONE measly little donkey.
Maybe I should ask for an off ox.....you know the ox that isn't on when you're plowing the field - is the off ox. Or maybe they went into the barn to get the ox to hook up to plow the field and the ox had his hoof draped across his head and the farmer said "Oh I can't use him - he's a little off." (hence Off OX)
I should go eat something.
GoingNorth
Crazy Cat Lady
I think "ps and qs" goes back to the days when a p and a q looked like the reverse of ech other (Elizabethan era)
Type in those days was set using an individual "slug" for each letter and the whole thing in a "frame" for each page.
A pressman had to be very careful to be sure he was getting the right letter when reaching for a "p" or a "q".
"Off" means right and "near' left when speaking of working animals and to this day is used in reference to horses, etc.
Type in those days was set using an individual "slug" for each letter and the whole thing in a "frame" for each page.
A pressman had to be very careful to be sure he was getting the right letter when reaching for a "p" or a "q".
"Off" means right and "near' left when speaking of working animals and to this day is used in reference to horses, etc.
P
Pdunderhill
Guest
Hello good people,
My great gran used the expression 'ye gods and small fishes', she was Somerset (UK) born and bred so I suspect the saying may go way back when. I still find myself using it and suffering some very odd looks from friends!
Peter Underhill
My great gran used the expression 'ye gods and small fishes', she was Somerset (UK) born and bred so I suspect the saying may go way back when. I still find myself using it and suffering some very odd looks from friends!
Peter Underhill
