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Joined: Jan 2001
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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This resurrected thread reminds me again, if so many people knew about Quinion's site over a year ago, how come we had so many pointless discussions about "full monty" and other useless phrases
As for "point blank" I'm still confused, and refuse point blank to worry about it.
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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The quote is the order given to American troops at what is called "The Battle of Bunker Hill" The British were advancing uphill and the Colonists holding the high ground were short of men and ordnance ...therefore : The order "Don't shoot 'till you see the whites of their eyes" meaning do not fire until you were sure you had a clear target at close range.
Before all you historians get on my case...I know the battle was actually fought on Breed's Hill outside Boston ... a monument tower marks the place ... climb the interior circular stairs (unless you're claustrophobic) for a geat view.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Posts: 13,858 |
After looking at my encyclopedia, it is clear that the British wanted to capture Bunker Hill, which is much higher than Breed's Hill, and so more suitable for a harbor defence artillery emplacement. Breed's Hill is between Bunker Hill and the place where the British landed, but high enough to make an easily defended line. So the name is a bit of a quibble.
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
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>This resurrected thread reminds me again, if so many people knew about Quinion's site over a year ago, how come we had so many pointless discussions about...
<sigh>
----
scene: a man is alone in a small room, staring incessantly at a glowing rectangle of nondescript light.
"hmmmm. I wonder where the phrase 'monkey's uncle' comes from? maybe I'll check Quinion.... nope, not there."
some days later:
"hmmmm. I wonder where the phrase 'yessiree, bob' comes from? maybe I'll check Quinion.... nope, not there."
some days later:
"hmmmm. I wonder where the phrase 'hello sailor' comes from? maybe I'll check Quinion.... nope, not there."
repeat as needed.
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,146
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,146 |
True, true. Quinion hasn't expressed an opinion on everything, just yet. And (shock, horror) he ain't even always right!!!!!!!!!! Wash your mouth out, CK. You have veered, nay, swerved, I say, off the path of righteousness here ...
I did feel that for once the superfluous profusion of multiple exclamation marks was probably justified. Probably. Oh, and the use of white text, too. Probably
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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Posts: 1,773
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,773 |
From the For-What-It’s-Worth Department.
Dictionary of Word Origins, Jordan Almond, agrees with the explanation that point blank is from the French for aiming at the white center of a target. Similarly, Etymological Dictionary of the English Language, WW Skeat.
Origins A Short Etymological Dictionary of Modern English, Eric Partridge, agrees (sort of) with the French derivation of point blank:
{tracing the many descendants of the root pungere, to prick.} 8. L punctum, a point, a dot, becomes OF-F point, adopted by ME; in several senses, E point (n) prob derives rather from F pointe, from L puncta, prop the f of the pp punctus. “To point”, ME pointen, comes from MF-F pointer, from the OF n point. The adj point blank derives from the adv, itself perh from F de pointe en blanc, from a point into the white (of the target); point-device or -devise, from ME at point devis, at point exact, OF-MF devis, exact, fixed, from L diuisus, (sharply) divided.
Pungere has a surprising number of descendants, including TEd’s cousin, pun.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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yes, for what its worth. these sources all seem to ignore the thrust of OED's argument, which is totally dull and drab of course, depending as it does on the written records.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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No matter how it originated, "point blanK" is now used to mean "at very close range" without delay for careful aim.
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