Comments on: Origins: funky phrases

By: Frank

Frank — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:18:43 +0000

The four soldiers on the left side of the image are French, wearing the standard “horizon blue” uniform. The soldier on the right is a Belgian. Because Belgium was occupied by the Germans, Belgian uniforms were manufactured in Britain. For reasons of production efficiency, they were made of the same “khaki” (olive/brown) cloth as British uniforms.

By: John McRuer

John McRuer — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 19:05:25 +0000

Re: As the Crow Flies:
Sailing ship masts were mostly in three sections: lower mast (stepped into the keel), topmast (attached to the lower mast) and the topgallant mast (attached to the topmast). The platform shown in the image is at the juction of the lower mast and the topmast. At the junction of the top and topgallant masts there were just “crosstrees” like the spreaders in a modern yacht to spread the topgallant mast shrouds. Lookouts were long stationed on the crosstrees, with little protection from the weather. In the 19th century whaling ships, which had a major commercial interest in the wellbeing of their lookouts, provided them with “dodgers” or an empty cask for protection. This is what gave the crow its nest. The crowsnest later became a fixture in all ships, whose importance dwindled with the emergence of radar.

By: richard vogel

richard vogel — Mon, 25 Dec 2006 16:10:18 +0000

RE; As the Crow Flies:

Your photo is not of a crows nest, it is a “top” referred to “fighting top” in sailing warships. Its purpose was to spread the mast supporting stays to give them a better “purchase”. In warships, the marines were stationed there to shoot downward on an enemy vessel.

By: fwh349fvcyc2h4

fwh349fvcyc2h4 — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 21:39:50 +0000

“â€œLamâ€ comes from the Icelandic â€œlemje,â€ meaning â€œbeatâ€ or â€œthrash.â€ Thus, â€œon the lamâ€ and â€œbeat itâ€ mean approximately the same thing: to run away; to beat the ground with your feet.”

Could this be a reference to hunting: “beaters” would thrash through the brush with sticks driving game towards the hunters? So “beat it” could mean “go into the woods and go through the brush” meaning: “go away”, or “run away”