Comments on: Sound-alikes That Make You Sound a-Stupid

By: meaning of cut the mustard

meaning of cut the mustard — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 20:16:07 +0000

[...] be to look at whether ???cut?? has some kind of meaning in the military sense of ???muster??. …http://www.bigbadbookblog.com/2006/07/20/sound-alikes-that-make-you-sound-a-stupid/Trivia that Cuts the Mustard Life on the Road – Trucking News Blog … 1907 story called the Heart [...]

By: Rigs

Rigs — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 13:13:16 +0000

Are you sure about ‘cut the mustard’? How do you cut mustard, (basically) a liquid? And why would doing so be a good thing?

Surely a more logical path of inquiry would be to look at whether ‘cut’ has some kind of meaning in the military sense of ‘muster’.

By: liz

liz — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 09:15:49 +0000

I once broke up with a boyfriend when he stated that I needed to be “more pacific” when telling him things. I had to ask him three times what he said before realizing he meant specific! I thought he might be trying to say pacified or something. What an idiot!

By: John

John — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 01:08:11 +0000

I worked with a sales rep that adored the phrase “it’s a mute point”. One time I tried to point it out; that a “mute” point is one that can’t speak, while a “moot point” was a legal term basically referring to something irrelevant to the issue at hand. (“Moot” refers to an issue that hasn’t been decided in court.)

He literally laughed in my face. After all, he KNEW that there was no such word as “moot”… And then he proceeded to give his presentation in front of about 1,000 people. He not only used the phrase “but it’s a mute point” at least seven times in a half hour, and made a point of adding extra emphasis to it to prove his point.

I just sat back and laughed at the murmur coming from the audience that got more pronounced every time he said it.

(back when we had to make our own fun)

By: David

David — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 21:34:19 +0000

The one I hear in the office all the time is “that just doesn’t jive.” Since I don’t work with any of the Bee-Gees, i assume they mean “jibe!”

By: Linda

Linda — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 00:52:32 +0000

I meant ‘any’ incontinence…

By: Linda

Linda — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 00:51:38 +0000

I got an excellent one the other day, from a seemingly literate person who was obviously trying to sound professional beyond her abilities (after she had to cancel an author’s interview):
“Sorry for an incontinence this may have caused you!”
ohmy… well, I certainly wasn’t going to be that upset about it!

By: Jason

Jason — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 15:37:23 +0000

Toe the line is actually also a military term, from when soldiers would stand in a line across a battlefield, typically drawn across the earth by a commanding officer (hence “the battle lines are drawn”). To toe the line meant to stand fast and firm on the line, bravely, instead of falling back or hesitating in a cowardly manner. Of course, an army that toes the line appears much more confident and threatening to its opponent.

This better explains the modern meaning, to conform, especially in the face of adversity or uncertainty, often for the sake of public appearances (as stated, “toe the party line”).

The phrase certainly predates the British House of Commons.

By: Nancy

Nancy — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 14:57:39 +0000

I am an editor who has lost count of the number of times I have read cover letters from authors who hope to “peak” my interest in the enclosed manuscript. They often ask to have their work added to my reading “cue.” Argggh!

By: Soulfull

Soulfull — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 13:23:26 +0000

Great blog! I just found this post today and I must say this is too funny!