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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread where'd this one come from? #43368 09/29/01 09:24 PM Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 2,636 Caribbean consuelo OP Carpal Tunnel OP consuelo Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 2,636 Caribbean I was wondering if anyone knows where the phrase "cold feet" comes from. I know it means a sudden reluctance to procede, but why does it mean that? Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: where'd this one come from? #43369 09/29/01 09:49 PM Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 W wwh Carpal Tunnel wwh Carpal Tunnel W Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 Dear consuelo: The phrase "cold feet" must be really ancient. Obviously it is the opposite of to "hot foot it" meaning to move rapidly. I found a site with hundreds of phrases explained, but they did not have any search system I could find. It's probably in there somewhere, you might enjoy browsing it. http://members.aol.com/MorelandC/HaveOriginsIndex.htm Here's another URL, with discussion of the phrase. http://www.shu.ac.uk/web-admin/phrases/bulletin_board/7/messages/258.html Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: where'd this one come from? #43370 09/30/01 12:15 AM Joined: Mar 2001 Posts: 2,379 New York City I inselpeter Pooh-Bah inselpeter Pooh-Bah I Joined: Mar 2001 Posts: 2,379 New York City is it because she got frightened? is it because dead people don't advance? Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: where'd this one come from? #43371 09/30/01 09:21 AM Joined: Nov 2000 Posts: 3,146 Northamptonshire, England Capital Kiwi Carpal Tunnel Capital Kiwi Carpal Tunnel Joined: Nov 2000 Posts: 3,146 Northamptonshire, England Perhaps this is a little more explanatory: http://www.futurehealth.org/smilebio.htm It seems to make some sense, anyway! The idiot also known as Capfka ... Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: where'd this one come from? #43372 09/30/01 11:16 AM Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky Jackie Carpal Tunnel Jackie Carpal Tunnel Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky It seems to make some sense, anyway! Sure does, CK--thank you. When I get nervous, my hands always get cold--haven't noticed my feet. I wonder why the expression didn't come to be, "She got cold hands"? About another part of this excerpt, I've known for years that if I'm feeling a little tense, making myself smile even if I don't feel like it causes a good bit of relaxation of the facial muscles, and that often does have the effect of making me feel like smiling! Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re:cold hands #43373 09/30/01 11:29 AM Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 2,636 Caribbean consuelo OP Carpal Tunnel OP consuelo Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 2,636 Caribbean I always heard "Cold hands, warm heart" They must have known you! Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re:cold hands #43374 09/30/01 11:33 AM Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky Jackie Carpal Tunnel Jackie Carpal Tunnel Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky ! Merci... Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re:cold hands #43375 09/30/01 12:41 PM Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 W wwh Carpal Tunnel wwh Carpal Tunnel W Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 CK's post reminded me of a fancy Siamese cat we had back in the thirties. If you gave it a dish of cold milk, it would pick up its hind feet one at a time and shake them, obviously a reflex whereby the cold milk in the throat caused vasoconstriction in the extremities. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: foehead & facial muscles #43376 09/30/01 01:09 PM Joined: Nov 2000 Posts: 3,439 New England, USA W wow Carpal Tunnel wow Carpal Tunnel W Joined: Nov 2000 Posts: 3,439 New England, USA making myself smile even if I don't feel like it causes a good bit of relaxation of the facial muscles If you relax your forehead all the muscles in your face relax. Try it. It works. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: foehead & facial muscles #43377 09/30/01 03:33 PM Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky Jackie Carpal Tunnel Jackie Carpal Tunnel Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky making myself smile even if I don't feel like it causes a good bit of relaxation of the facial muscles If you relax your forehead all the muscles in your face relax. Mmm, purr-rr... 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. 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