You are not logged in. [Log In] Wordsmith.org Forums Q&A about words Attention: Candy Register Forums Calendar Active Threads Search Forum Help

Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Page 1 of 2 1 2 #204406 - 01/28/12 03:56 PM Attention: Candy   Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Jackie Jackie   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky I just got an e-mail from an Aussie friend, who said he'll be renting his house at a "peppercorn rate". I think he meant cheaply, but where did this expression come from, do you know? #204409 - 01/28/12 09:34 PM Re: Attention: Candy [Re: Jackie]   Joined: Nov 2011 Posts: 1,075 Rhubarb Commando old hand Rhubarb Commando   old hand Joined: Nov 2011 Posts: 1,075 Lancaster, UK Yep - in the Middle Ages in Britain, pepper was actually quite an expensive spice. However, to pay just one pepper corn (from which pepper is ground) was still a lot less than most rents, so the lease or agreement drawn up between friends, with one making a gift to the other for whatever reason, but to make it a truly legal contract, the rent was one pepper corn per year. Other commodities were used, as well, for the same reason, to ake a contract legally binding. I'm immortal until proven otherwise #204412 - 01/29/12 02:09 AM Re: Attention: Candy [Re: Jackie]   Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Jackie Jackie   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky Interesting; thanks. #204413 - 01/29/12 02:04 PM Re: Attention: Candy [Re: Jackie]   Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,295 BranShea Carpal Tunnel BranShea   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,295 Netherlands, the Hague Peppercorn price. We still have standing expressions such as 'for a peppered price' or 'as expensive as pepper', meaning really extra expensive. (no mention of a single corn saying) #204414 - 01/29/12 02:10 PM Re: Attention: Candy [Re: BranShea]   Joined: Nov 2011 Posts: 1,075 Rhubarb Commando old hand Rhubarb Commando   old hand Joined: Nov 2011 Posts: 1,075 Lancaster, UK Makes sense, Bran - in the C17 and C18, the Dutch were the main importers of spices from their connections in the East Indies and other places in the Far East. I'm immortal until proven otherwise #204415 - 01/29/12 02:34 PM Re: Attention: Candy [Re: Rhubarb Commando]   Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,295 BranShea Carpal Tunnel BranShea   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,295 Netherlands, the Hague I'm sure many of the traders and common sailors slipped a few unaccounted for corns into their pockets. #204427 - 01/30/12 04:01 AM Re: Attention: Candy [Re: Jackie]   Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Jackie Jackie   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky Didn't their sneezing then give them away? #204431 - 01/30/12 11:17 AM Re: Attention: Candy [Re: Jackie]   Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 19 HalAl stranger HalAl   stranger Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 19 Central Indiana Originally Posted By: Jackie Didn't their sneezing then give them away? Until ground it's not likely a problem. Like an onion that's perfectly fine until you start to peel or slice it, then, WAAAAAAHHHHHH! #204448 - 01/31/12 02:27 AM Re: Attention: Candy [Re: Jackie]   Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Jackie Jackie   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky Oh man, what is the name of that chemical in onions? I was just trying to think of it the other day. #204456 - 01/31/12 07:17 PM Re: Attention: Candy [Re: Jackie]   Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,295 BranShea Carpal Tunnel BranShea   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,295 Netherlands, the Hague Sulphur. Compound of the whole Genus Allium. Antidiabolic, antivampiric, antianything that isn't good for your health. Link Page 1 of 2 1 2 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 consolidated into a single forum above) ------   Words from medicine   Beheading words   Meta-words   Words from classical mythology   Animal Safari   Words with unusual etymologies   Eponyms or words derived from people's names.   Loanwords from German   English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode View Profile Send Private Message Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message View Homepage Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message View Homepage Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message View Homepage Follow User Show Forum Posts Forum Statistics Forums16 Topics13,881 Posts224,661 Members9,048 Most Online3,341 Dec 9th, 2011 Newest Members Sammy87, Bentron2000, Santanu, DavidOrigami, RichEngle 9048 Registered Users Who's Online Now 0 registered members (), 76 guests, and 3 spiders. Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod Top Posters(30 Days) wofahulicodoc 51 A C Bowden 25 LukeJavan8 10 may2point0 3 SantaFeR 1 Top Posters(All Time) wwh 13,858 Faldage 13,803 Jackie 11,613 tsuwm 10,538 LukeJavan8 9,120 wofahulicodoc 7,883 Buffalo Shrdlu 7,210 AnnaStrophic 6,511 Wordwind 6,296 of troy 5,400

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 ubbthreads ubbthreads-dark show/hide columns on this page Forum Rules · Mark All Read Contact Us · Wordsmith.org · Top