Tag: Sewell Ford

‘to blow a fuse’: meanings and origin

.Reading time 10 minutes.

literally (USA, 1889): to cause a fuse to melt—figuratively (USA, 1908): to lose one’s temper—from ‘fuse’, denoting a safety device placed in an electric circuit

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‘to blow a gasket’: meanings and origin

.Reading time 6 minutes.

to lose one’s temper—USA, 1913—in an internal-combustion engine, a gasket is sealing layer between adjoining surfaces—hence ‘to blow (out) a gasket’ (USA, 1874): to have a gasket come loose due to excess pressure

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‘Mr Fixit’: meaning and origin

.Reading time 11 minutes.

USA, 1906—a man who fixes something, especially a man who, often illicitly, arranges matters or sets up deals—cf. ‘fixer’: one who, often illicitly, arranges or adjusts matters

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