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My favourite etymology, for one of my favourite sayings. (Please note the the original, and dare I say correct, spelling of favoUrite). "To freeze the balls off a brass monkey." As in, "It was cold enough ..." While the obvious lewd connection with the genitals of our closest relatives in the animal kingdom is what makes this saying great, it is (fortunately for the monkeys) not the original meaning. In the days of pirates, and cannons at sea, the cannon balls were stored on round brass rings to prevent them rolling all over the ship. For reasons unclear, these rings were called monkeys. In cold weather, the brass would shrink, until the ring was no longer capable of preventing the roll of the cannon ball, which would hence fall off. Thus the phrase, to freeze the balls of a brass monkey.
Entire Thread Subject Posted By Posted Favorite etymologies? Hyla 01/18/01 04:45 PM Re: Favorite etymologies? doc_comfort 01/18/01 11:42 PM Re: Brass Monkeys Capital Kiwi 01/19/01 05:25 AM Re: Brass Monkeys Jackie 01/19/01 12:22 PM Re: Brass Monkeys Capital Kiwi 01/19/01 04:47 PM Re: Brass Monkeys Sparteye 01/23/01 01:47 PM Re: Brass Monkeys maverick 01/23/01 05:45 PM Re: Brass Monkeys Bingley 01/24/01 03:12 AM Re: Brass Monkeys tsuwm 01/24/01 03:19 AM Re: Brass Monkeys maverick 01/24/01 01:25 PM Re: Brass Monkeys Info vs Data wow 01/24/01 01:48 PM Re: Brass Monkeys bikermom 01/24/01 02:19 PM
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