Word And Phrase Origins | Donna Perugini Children's Author

Defining the Phrase To Keep the Ball Rolling

May 14, 2012

Here we are in process of a presidential campaign with hard hitting commercials, disinformation all around and the voters being led by the nose? Where did all this campaign hype begin in our country? Yes, there were speeches made...lots of speeches by all the presidents and ...

Defining the Word Loophole…Is It Really a Lawyer Thing

March 8, 2012

Are Loopholes for Lawyers? Do you think of a lawyer every time the word, 'loophole' comes up? Now you'll know where it came from and how the word evolved. Narrow Windows That Widen Inward Medieval castles were often built with narrow windows that widened inward ...

Where Did ‘Rule of Thumb’ Have Its Origin

January 13, 2012

Where do you think the phrase, 'Rule of Thumb' came from? There are two thoughts here. Brewmasters of old often tested the temperature of a batch of beer by dipping a thumb in the brew. Their long experience told them how well the beer was brewing. (I wonde...

Forever Known as Ammonia Due to Where They Parked Their Camels

November 24, 2011

Word and Phrase Origin of Ammonia This posting is just a quick FYI tidbit that caught my eye. Oh, you're going to be shocked when you find out where the idea for ammonia came from. And if you've ever really smelled ammonia, you know how it can overwhelm you enough to feel...

October 11, 2011

Now the spitball is outlawed. The reason for ending the legal spitball was, in 1920, Carl Mays threw a spitball that hit Ray Chapman on the head, killing Chapman. Many pitchers used the spitball before 1920 and its unpredictable behavior made batters dread the pitch. E...

Phrase Meaning: To Get a Rise Out of Someone

September 23, 2011

These words first applied to fish rising to the bait (which is a thrill to watch if you're on the other end of the pole). Writers on the art of angling popularized 'the rise' in this sense 300 years ago, and the metaphor from fly-fishing became standard En...

Kill the Ump! Did It Ever Really Happen?

September 6, 2011

For those who have never heard this phrase before the word ump is shortened for umpire. As you know, umpires have the final say on being 'safe' or 'out' in baseball. There are masses of people who believe that the umpire does not make 'good calls' when they are watching...

August 12, 2011

Cartoonist Arthur R. (Pop) Momand lived in a community where many people tried to keep up with the Joneses. This is his own recollection: My wife and I resided in Cedarhurst, New York, one of Long Island's Five Towns, where the average income is still among America'...

August 5, 2011

Kindergarten used to mean a place that young children should be taught according to their natural instincts, by stimulating and creating interest. It seems to have undergone a huge transformation to mean a place to get your child ready to be in first grade which is real...

Are You a Snoop? Well, It Depends. Define Snoop.

July 28, 2011

We've come to know many different people in our lives as 'snoops', but did you know where the word comes from? First let me tell you about some snoops I've come across....ME! When my daughter was a young teen and just getting into high school, boys, etc. The gi...

July 9, 2011

How many times have we heard the phrase, "Bite the bullet"? The First Definition Comes from the 1850's A was cartridge used in the British Enfield rifle that had a paper tube, the end of which riflemen had to bite off to expose the powder to the spark. The riflem...

What Do You Know About a Potter’s Field?

June 21, 2011

Have you ever wondered where Juas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus was buried? You may have heard the term, Potter's Field at least once in your life and never given it another thought. Clay..Pottery...Paupers...Criminals and the Unknown Stranger Did ...