origin of ‘sixty-four (thousand) dollar question’
US, 1941—originated in ‘Take It or Leave It’, a radio quiz for a prize of sixty-four dollars—developed to ‘sixty-four thousand dollar question’ as early as 1943
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the story of the fedora
US, 1883—from the craze generated by ‘Fédora’, an 1882 drama by Victorien Sardou and the name of its heroine, played in early productions by Sarah Bernhardt
Read Morethe rise of the ‘pin-up girl’
‘pin-up’—US, 1941, in ‘pin-up girl’, denoting a woman being the subject of a picture that a serviceman displays on a locker-door, on a wall, etc.
Read Moremeaning and origin of the phrase ‘a nod is as good as a wink’
‘a nod’s as good as a wink (to a blind horse)’ 18th century—acknowledges that a hint or suggestion has been understood without the need of further elaboration
Read MoreA French kiss was originally a kiss on both cheeks.
‘French kiss’—19th century: a kiss on both cheeks—early 20th century (USA): a kiss with contact between tongues
Read MoreThe verb ‘unfriend’ was coined in the 17th century.
The verb unfriend was coined by the Church of England clergyman Thomas Fuller (1608-61) in The Appeal of Injured Innocence (1659).
Read Moreorigin of ‘flexible friend’ (credit card)
early 1980s—originated in “Access. Your flexible friend”, advertising slogan for the Access credit card, which played on the notion that repayment was flexible
Read More‘Hamlet without the Prince’: meaning and origin
event taking place without the central figure—from an alleged performance of Hamlet in 1775 with the title role left out because the chief actor had fled
Read Moretheatrical origin and history of the noun ‘slapstick’
slapstick (USA): device used to make a great noise with the pretence of dealing a heavy blow, hence comedy characterised by horseplay and physical action
Read Moreorigin of ‘Boxing Day’ (the first weekday after Christmas Day)
from the verb ‘box’, ‘to give a Christmas-box’, i.e. to give a gratuity or present to tradespeople and employees—originally a box in which money was collected
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word histories 