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old hand
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OP
old hand
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Was interested to hear today that there is a link between the expressions "big shot" (ie an important person) and "loose woman".
Any guesses as to what the common thread is?
stales
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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old hand
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OP
old hand
Joined: Nov 2000
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Cannon are what the big shots refer to, but I need much more.
stales
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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loose cannons
No, wait, that refers to one that isn't fastened down. This sounds like one whose bore is too large. It takes a big shot to fill a loose woman.
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old hand
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OP
old hand
Joined: Nov 2000
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Still no ceegar suh. I've given y'all a clue by stating that there's a common thread.
stales
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Well now. According to this site http://makeashorterlink.com/?O2F013BF2 big shot, at least in the US, dates from the 1920s. Course this isn't a registered etymology site but. PS EditQuinion http://www.quinion.com/words/qa/qa-big1.htm mentions it in a general discussion of "big" phrases in a specific discussion of big cheese, apparently dating it after the 1914 appearance of the latter phrase.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Still no ceegar suh. I've given y'all a clue by stating that there's a common thread.I'd give my left patootie to actually *hear you say that, stales. 
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Looks like the only thread that has all four words in it is this one. At least in AWADtalk.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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cannons are "threaded", after a fashion..
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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cannons are "threaded"
As are loose women?
Or do they both sink ships?
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