Posted by Robert Dilley on September 21, 2002 at 19:34:47 from 65.39.15.64 user rdilley.
In Reply to: We Didn't Mean... ODDITIES posted by Ed Kiser on September 21, 2002 at 03:54:50:
Well done again, Ed. You keep coming up with fascinating topics for discussion. My few cents' worth....
American Cloth -- I remember my mother having one or more tablecloths of this material, always referred to as such -- bright coloured and plasticky with a thin fuzzy felt-like layer underneath, presumably to stop them from sliding off the table. These were for everyday use: linen tablecloths only came out when we had company.
Penny whistle -- haven't found an explanation yet. OED seems to link it to "pennyweight", but that doesn't seem to help much.
Jilled -- haven't found that one, either. Being one of those awful professors who love dictionaries, Ed's questions set me off (as do frequent inquiries from my children) why is that word used? I've read "jilled" in WD many times and am sure I know what it means (always supposed it meant aimlessly going back and forth in a small area) but have no idea why it means that.
Short nights -- go to the Lake District and in June and July it is still light enough to hike at 10 pm. That is the drawback of public transport, most of which stops running at 5 (last time I was there I rescued a young family stuck ten miles from their campsite after a long hot day's hike).
Knock up -- Somewhat less damaging is the Briticism "Give me a ring" for "phone me".
Billy-oh -- My trusty Chambers and COD say "origin obscure".
Chaffer -- A good Old English word meaning to bargain or haggle.
Keep up the good work Ed.