Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with origin

What is the origin of the phrase "by the balls"?

sciurus — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:52:07 -0800

What is the origin of the phrase "by the balls" as in: "He's really got you by the balls."? My mom thinks it is a biblical reference where dudes would grab each other by the balls when they entered into an agreement with each other. Her priest disagrees, so now my mom wants to find out exactly what the origin of that phrase is.

I believe I have placed this question in the correct category.

To go with the blue hair?

FuManchu — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:01:43 -0800

Why is blue eyeshadow so common? Blue eyeshadow seems to be, by far, the most common non-skintone eyeshadow. Why blue? All searching provides are judgement calls on whether it is still fashionable to wear it.

Is there some apocryphal origin, at least? Most standard makeup seems to be in shades that are already natural -- even clown-red lipstick. But natural blue eyelids I haven't seen.

Please help me scratch this itch.

Where does this shirt pattern come from?

karl88 — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 23:22:20 -0800

What is the origin of these shirts? I have this shirt. i want to know where it comes from. not where it's made, but where in the world does this pattern and style come from? PatternShirt01.jpg PatternShirt02.jpg thanks!

Finger-lickin' acknowledgment?

asras — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:36:58 -0800

Help me find out more about this gesture, where a person licks their finger and either points to the ceiling or draws a line in the air. I'd like to find out more about the origin of this gesture. It's not hard to deduce it's meaning from the context, but I'd also be interested in a definition of it.

It's easier to show than explain; Viggo Mortensen does it towards the end of this awesome interview with Jon Stewart while Colbert rattles off facts about Aragorn.

Also, here, J.D. [the guy in the white jersey] does it right after he says, "Thank you, football for dummies." [at 0:27]

I've seen it a few other places too, and I've always been curious about it. Links to other instances of this gesture in pop culture also appreciated!

What's the Origin/Artist's Name of "Weird Puppet Being Held While Woman Gets Milk Poured On Her Head"

Zampa — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:57:22 -0800

Could someone name the artist who created http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/4508/strangeza8.jpg, and the other images in the series? I know it was part of an art photography piece, but I can't recall the artist's name, or the link.

Looking for books that take a philosophical look at the origin of the universe and where mankind is heading (among other things)

iceman7 — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 04:08:34 -0800

Why are we here? What started it all? What is the purpose of life? Where is technology taking us? What will happen to humans eventually? I'm looking for books that discuss the above questions. I don't want the readings to be too dry and textbook like. Thanks a bunch.

Earliest use of "Techno"

urbanwhaleshark — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 13:02:37 -0800

The origins of "Techno" - the earliest recorded use of the term. I'm cross-posting this from uk-dance.org.

"The earliest references I can find to the use of the word "techno" to describe a form of music are both from 1988 - "Techno: The Dance Sound of Detroit" (Virgin Records LP, 1988) and Q magazine "'techno’ is the futuristic, synthesizer-based sound of Detroit" (October 1988, p.65).

Earlier uses of the term are in combined term only (e.g. in 1980 the New York Times uses "techno-pop" to describe Carly Simons' album "Come Upstairs"). Does anyone have any pre-1988 uses of "techno" in an uncombined form?"

Following the thread the earliest discoveries we've found, in terms of music, have been c.1984.

Does anyone have any earlier references?

Can I show you my exquisite collection of etchings?

juv3nal — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 23:24:53 -0800

What's the origin of/meaning behind the idiom of inviting a lady to inspect one's collection of etchings as a (euphemized/veiled?) sexual proposition? I might have the exact formulation wrong, came across kind of vague and inconsistent uses of it in some hard boiled Hammett/Chandler kind of stuff.

Do Fedex Overnight packages have the location of origin postmarked or printed on them in any way?

dkleinst — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 12:36:53 -0800

Do Fedex Overnight packages have the location of origin postmarked or printed on them in any way? If so - do any other mail services not have this feature?

If you can answer this, then you aren't just another...

girlpublisher — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 20:45:25 -0800

Does anyone know the origin of the phrase "not just another pretty face"? I've tried searching online, but all I get are sites that use the phrase. I added search terms such as "origin", "source", "history", etc. to no avail. I also tried a couple of sites devoted to English language cliches. Help? Suggestion for search terms or non-online sources?

Origin of "we are all [blank] now"

Urban Hermit — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 16:02:34 -0800

What is the origin of the phrase "we are all [blank] now"? The earliest 'famous' usage I'm aware of is Nixon's "we are all Keynesians now," but I don't know if that was really where it started.

Does the phrase "please, not in the face!" come from anywhere in particular?

so_necessary — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 08:48:29 -0800

Does the phrase "Please, not in the face!" (in reference to a metaphorical imminent beating) have a definitive, particular origin from a famous film or some other piece of pop culture? Or has it just sort of established itself from actual beatings?

Swanning around origin

tellurian — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 21:03:48 -0800

I'm looking for the earliest appearance of the phrase 'swanning around' - To travel around from place to place aimlessly. A friend says that she had read somewhere that its origins are in World War II and refers to the appearance of the tank turrets and guns and how they used to look a little lost as they were moving about so it became 'to swan'.
The on-line dictionaries I've consulted cite Jeffrey Archer! “Swanning around Europe nowadays, are we?”. The oldest Google book usage I could find was 1923 (Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry), so I'm sure my friend is wrong unless she mixed up the World Wars. Has anyone got a Partridge handy to look up swan? Can any of you dig up something earlier?
Also, a search for 'swan around' turns up a 1907 mention, but without preview, so I can't see the context. Considering the title (Our Plymouth Forefathers: The Real Founders of Our Republic), it may well be - 'they decided to cook a turkey because there were no swan around'.

Whence the beatings?

bumpkin — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 14:21:21 -0800

What is the origin of the phrase "the beatings will continue until morale improves". Google has failed me on this, only the hive mind will save me.

Help me find the origins of this phrase...

sholdens12 — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 17:28:07 -0800

What is the origin of the phrase "The future is now"?

Right up my alley

punkbitch — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 09:13:01 -0800

What is the origin of the phrase "right up my (his, her, etc.) alley"??? Is it as simple as referring to being "in my neighborhood of expertise" or is there some sort of bowling reference going on? Google's letting me down here -- but maybe my search capacities are a little rusty.

Where does "for those of you following along at home" come from?

AgentRocket — Fri, 28 Apr 2006 10:14:54 -0800

What's the origin of the phrase "For those of you [playing/following/scoring] along at home?" I just used this expression and am curious where it comes from. My best guesses are old school television/radio game shows, or maybe radio baseball. (Though I have no evidence, I particularly like the baseball idea because it gives me a warm, fuzzy picture of a prototypical 1940s kid listening along to the game and keeping a box score).

Google gives 42,600 results for "playing along at home," 27,300 for "following along at home," and 199 for "scoring along at home," so perhaps my theory is bunk.

Can anyone provide me with the answer?

Origin of "420"

goalyeehah — Sun, 05 Mar 2006 21:55:56 -0800

What is the origin of "420" I was at a party last night and a topic of discussion moved to smoking pot. We were both wondering where did the term "420" come from. She heard that it meant 4:20PM was the best time to smoke. Any tokers on this one?

what the heck is a Mighty Duck?

peppermint22 — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 09:08:38 -0800

I've recently become obsessed with the origin of American sports team names. In particular, team names which make a specific reference to something unique in the history or culture of the team location. Does anyone know of an online list of this type of information? And also, anyone care to site any not obvious examples of this from American sports? Some examples of what I'm talking about off the top of my head:
Baltimore Ravens - a reference to Baltimore as the birthplace of Poe
New England Patriots - Revolutionary War
SF 49ers / Denver Nuggets - Gold
Columbus Bluejackets - Ohio's Civil War heritage
Tennessee Titans - Nashville's nickname "Athens of the South"
Seattle Supersonics / Houston Astros - aviation/space heritage
New Jersey Devils - a reference to the local legend "Jersey Devil"

It's Your Birthday, Have a Party

kmel — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 08:23:06 -0800

What are the origins of the chant "it's your birthday, have a party" (repeat ad nauseam)? I remember first hearing it in the early nineties, used in a general congratulatory/celebratory way (it wasn't anyone's birthday). It was accompanied by either a cabbage-patch dance move or the ever-popular raise-the-roof gesture. I know it's sometimes followed by another line like "get stupid." Is it from a song? A movie? Or did it just percolate up through oral tradition?

Where is this robot illustration from?

freudianslipper — Fri, 03 Jun 2005 17:44:23 -0800

where is this robot from? It's driving me crazy! Me and a friend saw a guy with a tattoo of this robot on his back at this music festival and we both recognized it. Then I randomly saw that picture on some website. It can't be hitchhikers guide...i think the "don't panic" is just cause it's a home made shirt. Am I wrong? Make me look stupid though, I know you know where this robot came from!

Does a rule exist to determine how a placename is changed when speaking of something native to that place?

geckoinpdx — Wed, 13 Apr 2005 18:25:12 -0800

How is the term is determined for a native, thing or resident of a place? For example, an American from America or Italian from Italy seems simple enough, but Glaswegian from Glasgow? Shouldn't it be Moswegian and not Muscovite? I have been wanting to ask this for a long time but was recently pushed to ask when a friend of mine from Galway referred to her neighbours as Galwegian. I've googled everything I could think of, checked Languagehat's site but didn't find anything in the way of standard rules. All I really found were a number of sites commenting on the strangeness of some of these terms ("Utahn", "Filipino").

And How!!!

Megafly — Wed, 23 Mar 2005 15:01:01 -0800

What is the Etymological origin of the phrase "And How!" used as an exclamation. It's a simple question that's probably easy if you have access to a good dead tree dictionary, but when you use a search engine you get every definition that includes the two words "and how"

What is the origin of saying shocked twice to indicate emphasis (e.g., "I'm shocked, SHOCKED, that you would insinuate such a thing.")?

trey — Fri, 14 Jan 2005 10:15:16 -0800

What is the origin of saying shocked twice to indicate emphasis (e.g., "I'm shocked, SHOCKED, that you would insinuate such a thing.")? Googling just brings up examples of it in speech and no origin.

The name of the White Castle sandwich- slyder or slider?

blueshammer — Sun, 08 Aug 2004 06:48:23 -0800

Can I please get a definitive ruling on White Castle "slider" vs. White Castle "slyder"? Google tells me it's "slider" but I don't think that's right.