Register Log In Wordsmith Talk Forums General Topics Q&A about words sixes and sevens Search Advanced Forum Search Forums Calendar Active Threads

Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread sixes and sevens #184423 04/21/2009 12:24 PM Joined: Apr 2009 Posts: 2 Victoria stranger Victoria stranger Joined: Apr 2009 Posts: 2 Does anyone know when the phrase "sixes and sevens" came into use? I've been looking for a phrase meaning "topsy-turvey" or "turned upside down" that dates to the mid to late 19th century. Thanks in advance for any information you may have. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: sixes and sevens Victoria #184425 04/21/2009 12:30 PM Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,290 R'lyeh zmjezhd Carpal Tunnel zmjezhd Carpal Tunnel Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,290 R'lyeh World Wide Words has an Q&A session on its origin and is probably a good place to start (link). Ceci n'est pas un seing. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: sixes and sevens zmjezhd #184471 04/24/2009 1:00 PM Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 293 Orlando ParkinT enthusiast ParkinT enthusiast Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 293 Orlando The prevalent 'urban legend' I have heard refers to a British game with dice. In this game, the rules all change when a Six or Seven is thrown. I have no authority to which to point for this, though. "I am certain there is too much certainty in the world" -Michael Crichton Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: sixes and sevens ParkinT #184473 04/24/2009 1:04 PM Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,290 R'lyeh zmjezhd Carpal Tunnel zmjezhd Carpal Tunnel Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,290 R'lyeh I have no authority to which to point for this, though. Michael Quinion discusses it in the link I provided above. Ceci n'est pas un seing. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary

Default Style BlackNTan Drab eBay GooG v2 infopop new dark new light original dark original stock rounded corners Slate snow sunny dropshadow theblues Touch Of Grey UBB.threads UBB.threads - Dark UBB.threads - Light UBBCentral UBBCentral - Crimson UBBCentral - Lime UBBCentral - Marshmallow UBBCentral - Mocha UBBCentral - Zen UBBT77 UBBT77 - Dark ubbthreads ubbthreads-dark Forum Rules · Mark All Read Contact Us · Forum Help · Wordsmith Talk