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lorryBRONZE Member
19 posts
Location: cheltenham, gloucestershire, United Kingdom

Ok this is a conversation that we were having in the pub last nite. beerchugDoes anyone know the origins for any phrases we use today?

e.g do u know why prison guards are called screws?
coz in the olden days prisoners as punishement had to continously turn this wheel 500 times an hour (it didnt do anything, it was just a punishment). every hours the prison guards would come around and tighten the screws to make it more difficult.

ta da! information u couldnt live without smile

any more like this let me know .. ubbidea

(as u can prob tell im supposed 2 b doing work and am bored) x

883 posts
Location: Stevenage

Roman coins:
I don't get it... was it the fashion to leave your money lying around?

Monkeys monkeys and bananas

3 posts
Location: Wollongong, NSW

Here ya go, Does anyone know why they call it 'Raining Cats and Dogs'??????????

Stay away from the light

MynciBRONZE Member
Macaque of all trades
8,738 posts
Location: wombling free..., United Kingdom

several thoughts on this...
1- that after heavy rainfall and poor drainage dead animals would be found washed up onto street after storms

2- the noise of a heavy storm akin to a dog and a cat fighting
3- from thatched roof times, when it rained hard, animals came into the house from the roof.


3 posts
Location: Wollongong, NSW

third one was close Mynci,
THe old thatch roofs made of like straw and stuff where the warmest part of the house and the animals used to sleep there but when it rained it went all mushy and they would fall through. clap

Stay away from the light

Mr MajestikSILVER Member
coming to a country near you
4,693 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia

the Kiwi Bird is the national symbol for New Zealand, so its sort of an obvious nickname anyway, however the Kiwi shoe polish is an Australian shoe polish brand that is one of the biggest shoe polish companies in the world, i dont know about the war but now it holds about two thirds of the american market


jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley


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