The "Vocabulary and Idioms" Game

originally posted by: Mandroid7
a reply to: Liquesence

Plumbing term....
Street elbow is a elbow with a big and small end.
Your plumbing drain lines always go into each other..small into big, so there's no lip to snag on.
Comprende vato?

Sounds nasty. Sexual. Pornographic, actually.

originally posted by: VeeTNA
a reply to: Rekrul

Good one, but too obvious......

what is "once in a blue moon"?

That's an easy one.

a reply to: Mandroid7

there are several different "elbows" in plumbing. It is correct that the "street elbow" has a female end and a male end. The female end is attached to the under-street pipe, so that when they are laying pipes they can make a 90 degree turn and the male end is facing up toward the top so other pipes can be attached. (From below the street)

originally posted by: VeeTNA
a reply to: Mandroid7

there are several different "elbows" in plumbing. It is correct that the "street elbow" has a female end and a male end. The female end is attached to the under-street pipe, so that when they are laying pipes they can make a 90 degree turn and the male end is facing up toward the top so other pipes can be attached. (From below the street)

Get a room, you two.

a reply to: Liquesence

That's an easy one.

Please share with the class.....

So how about "on the ropes"

Anyone know what that comes from?

My mom used to say "Man-o-days!" all the time. I have no idea where it came from, but apparently it's a thing. I'm really curious if anyone else has heard that.
Urban Dictionary

originally posted by: VeeTNA
a reply to: LookingAtMars

But it's not undrinkable.

You just get sick if you drink it.

Well, if you want to go with the self-poisoning thing I guess.....

so - how about the difference between

"show them the ropes" and "on the ropes"

where did those phrases come from?

I was going with words have meanings.

Now if you had said you can not consume it.

"on the ropes"

ETA - Boxing?

a reply to: trollz

Hmmm... No idea on "Man-O-Days"

Good one!!!

a reply to: LookingAtMars

Boxing?

Yep!!

How about this one.

"Don't threaten me with a whore".

How about this one.

Orange Man Bad.

Where does that come from?

People, can we please just talk about language and vocabulary? Please?
This isn't meant to be a political thread. It's just about words and phrases and human communication.

a reply to: highvein

Orange Man Bad.

I already looked that up.

It is a right wing phrase made up as a parody of the left.

The left don't say it. The right says it about the left.

a reply to: highvein

I think it could fit in the future. We're actually seeing it become an idiom in real life.

I don't want to shake a stick at anyone

a reply to: VeeTNA

Hook, line, and sinker.

Nowadays people fall for things hook, line, and sinker.

Comes from fishing. When a fish doesn't just get hooked by the bait, but swallows much more.

originally posted by: VeeTNA
a reply to: Liquesence

That's an easy one.

Please share with the class.....

A Blue Moon is the second full moon in the same month. They're relatively rare because the lunar cycle is 27 days while a calender month is 30-31 days. Ultra rare would be a Blue Moon in February, since it would have to be on the 1st and 28th or 2nd and 29th. Those are as scarce as hen's teeth.

I thought everyone knew that "Jump the Shark" came from the Happy Days episode.

a reply to: VeeTNA

Hmmm... No idea on "Man-O-Days"

One source says it's American colloquialism since 1969.

A reader on Martha Stewarts blog says she grew up hearing her mom say it. No idea where it comes from.

a reply to: VeeTNA

You mentioned "jump the shark." I know this one! When Happy Days was nearing the end, they were running out of plot ideas. They had an episode where the Fonz was surfing and jumped over a shark. It was seen as a ludicrous plot idea, "grasping at straws" (hah!) to keep the show on the air. So now, when a TV show is way past its prime, or an idea is just too crazy for words, these things are said to be "jumping the shark."