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The sentence "I am armed to the teeth" is an untruism whenever it is pronounced correctly. If it were true, it would be pronounced "Eye ar arrr kaar keef". <g> http://users.ox.ac.uk/~diab0011/untrue.html(with thanks to aldi @ wordorigins)
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Joined: Jun 2002
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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> "The choir will now sing for us"( used to indicate that the congregation are not invited to participate.)
congregation are?
formerly known as etaoin...
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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congregation are?
Grammar by meaning rather than grammar by form.
This usage is common in the Commonwealth.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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> Grammar by meaning rather than grammar by form.
oh, that.
> Commonwealth
I forget. is that us?
formerly known as etaoin...
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enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 273 |
>> Commonwealth
I forget. is that us?
Yes, if you move to MA.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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is that us?
No. US is far from common.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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a) What does "to coin a phrase" mean?
b) This sentence...>>>RLC points out that the phrase 'hang up' is always untrue, because things can't hang up - by definition, they hang down. That's not an untruism, it is an oxymoron. But interesting. is way off.
Telephones used to hang on the wall, and the cradle to put the listening piece was higher than the individual so they'd have to hang the receiver up to disconnect.
Phone booths still have receiver that have to be hung up.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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> What does "to coin a phrase" mean?
To coin = to impress plain metal into the shape of a valuable and shiny new coin...
and so by extension to coin a phrase = to impress plain language into a valuable shiny new expression...
(the untrusim residing in the fact that this expression is dragged out like a dead chicken trailed through the dust when someone is about to offer up just a trite and hackneyed old saw)
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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in the 'one trick ponies' section they point out
Pooper
The only kind of pooper is a party pooper.
not in the states.. here we also have pooper scoopers.
pooper being an infantilized word for dog feces.
some how, (dog) 'crapper trapper' hasn't caught on as a cutsy name.
i suspect the idea of cleaning up after one's dog is not an exclusive US idea.. what do you call them else where?
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Carpal Tunnel
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Poop scoop is an accepted term in wide use this side of the pond - gets nearly 10k googlits. As a matter of coincidence it's apparently National Poop Scoop Week (in the sad way it's National Somethingorother Week every bloody week of the year now!) http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/main.asp?structureid=713
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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>National Somethingorother Week every bloody week..
if only! that would seemingly limit it to 52, and we prolly wouldn't have room for "This week is National Egg Salad Week".
-joe (today is national procrastination day.. or is that tomorrow?) f.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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> Egg Salad Week
or they'd be forced to make trade coalitions... hm, National EggSalad PoopScoop Week, anyone?
I think I'll pass [sic] on the sandwiches thanks, vicar!
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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We could start a postal club to send people the best week of the week weekly. (I don't why I bothered with that thought, I'll sit down again - carefully.)
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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> don't why I bothered with that thought it was a bit weak... 
formerly known as etaoin...
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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I did think about going there, but decided it would be overegging the pudding. Still, I'm glad someone did it, it stops me feeling I've left something unfinished. 
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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we'll let you off over-easy...
formerly known as etaoin...
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member
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formerly known as etaoin...
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addict
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addict
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Subtle but effective, eta.
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