Chew the Fat

"Chew the Fat"

Chewing the fat means having a conversation with someone, or informal talk, or chat in a relaxed way. It also meant to grumble or complain. It was most popular in the 1800's with the British army. It slowly made its way to the United States. They think it originated by the army men being given tough meat to eat and they had to chew the fat of the meat. Chewing is like the action of speaking so that is how it got interpeted. The phrase is also known as chew the rag which means the same thing.

Examples: Let's chew the fat some time, and I had a great time chewing the fat with my old friend.

Its Raing Cats and Dogs

Its Raining Cats and Dogs

According to Richard Lederer, in England in the 1500's, when it was raining hard the streets

were like rivers. So the peoplewere known to throw their dead cat's and dog's into the street to wash away. This is the literal explanation during the middle ages why its raining cats and dogs.

Also back then, the houses had thatched roofs and the animals would seek shelter there. They went there to stay warm and dry, but when it rained they came sliding off the roof. That is also where it's raining cat's and dog's came from. Back in the dark ages, cats were veiwed to be associated with storms, especially the Norse storm.The black cat was connected to witches. Dogs were associated with winds because of the howling. During this era, most explanations delt with death. The orgin of this phrase is still not fully documended.

Http://www.idiomsite.com/raincatsand.htm

Http://www.jewishworldeveiw.com.0203/lederer022003.asp

Redneck

The term redneck dates back to around the 1830's.

Redneck originally started out being a tale that referred to striking coal miners who wore red bandannas as a means of group identification.

Another way that the tern redneck is used from those who had sunburn necks from working in the fields all day.

Today's modern term redneck means more Southern, rural, white member of the laboring class and a disparaging reference to the dialect.

A redneck is often portrayed as slow, shallow in thought, and regulated to the rural areas.

Fit as a Fiddle

Fit as a Fiddle

This Idiom date's from the early 1600. Fit has always meant something similar to good health or in good shape. Now the fiddle being joined to fit has many possible reasons that could have been chosen for. First, a fiddle that is well tuned can make music that is pleasing to the ear. Another possibilities is that the shape of the fiddle is quite beautiful in some peoples eyes, and a third reason could be that as fiddles were very expensive at this time and were well maintained in good condition. In any event, to say "He is Fit as a Fiddle" is to say he is in good physical condition.

Stubborn as a Mule

Stubborn as a Mule

While visiting Disneyland in 1957, former president Harry Truman refused to get on the Dumbo the Elephant ride, because he considered it to be "a symbol of the Republican party". This incident coined the phrase "stubborn as a Mule"
Stubborn as a Mule means that a person will not change for anything and do whatever they want.
Example: We tried to stop Jimmy from walking on his broken ankle, but he is as stubborn as a mule.

Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed

"Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed"

Through my investigation I found no documented origin on my idiom. However I did find out that it started to be used sometime in the 1930's.

From my research "Bright eyed and bushy tailed" means to be awake and alert, and sometimes even excited. I found in my study that this phrase refers to a squirrel or maybe other animals. When they feel a sense of danger or being threatened, they get up on their haunches, swish their tails and book around. Others say that this phrase means to be awake, alert, and ready for whatever is coming.

Chippy

"Chippy"

The slang term chippy, also spelled chippie, means a "promiscous young woman"or a prositute. The dictionary meaning for the French word chipie is shrewish woman or vixen. Chipe and pie in French means thieving magpie.

In the nineteeth century, New Orleans recognized the word chippy. Louis Armstrong used the word chippy often and he also used it in his 1954 autobiography.

In the dictionary of American Slang, the word chippy is a shortened way of saying chippy sparrow, a bird that is found in urban areas. Women were referred to as chick, hen, or hen or bird. In America, it means the sounds that a squirrel or some other small animal makes.


I got the information from the book DOG DAYS and DANDELIONS

Author: MARTHA BARNETTE