Word, Term, or Saying Origin

[Faceplant]

Ok I'll try again

Origin of the phrase

On the wagon

Hmmmm... On a wagon as in on the road to recovery maybe? Or maybe the wagon takes people to work, and the drunks fall off of it to hit the pub, lol...

 

[Faceplant]

Here's one for the gear heads... It's an easy one at that.

What does the "442" refer to in the Oldsmobile 442?

 

[RamFan503]

Here's one for the gear heads... It's an easy one at that.

What does the "442" refer to in the Oldsmobile 442?

Cubic inches under the hood.

"Three dog night."

 

[Faceplant]

Cubic inches under the hood.

"Three dog night."

Wrong

 

[dieterbrock]

Wrong

4 barrel carb, 4 speed tranny and posi trac rear diffs?

 

[Faceplant]

4 barrel carb, 4 speed tranny and posi trac rear diffs?

Some say the 2 was for posi rear, others say dual exhaust. Either works for me!!!

 

[RamFan503]

"Dead heat"

 

[rdlkgliders]

"Dead heat"

I am going with the obvious " A Tie"
P.S how did I miss this thread and why isn't it more popular...
Now watch your P's & Q's

 

[RamFan503]

I am going with the obvious " A Tie"
P.S how did I miss this thread and why isn't it more popular...
Now watch your P's & Q's

But how did the term "dead heat" come about? Yeah it's a tie but why call it a dead heat?

Ps and Qs as far as I recall referred to pints and quarts. Allegedly, it was a reference from bartenders to patrons not to become drunk assholes but originated from the practice of bartenders or pub owners making sure to track pints and quarts. I owned a brewery so this came up several times. There were several other versions but this one made the most sense to me.

 

[rdlkgliders]

Yeah, That is the variance that made most sense to me as well.

I am going to take a guess without Google.
The only thing that comes to mind for me and this is a total guess.
Dead Heat originated from some epic race ( probably a horse race ) where the field pushed each other so hard that the race ended with multiple casualties.

 

[VegasRam]

On the wagon referred to those who, (after probably being harangued by the current and forever prohibitionists), swore off drinking and rode around town “on the wagon” extolling the virtue of a sober life, and encouraging all the other drunks to quit, and join them on the wagon.

 

[VegasRam]

See also “fell off the wagon”, which (although I have of course never personally experienced this), I believe refers to getting blind, legless drunk and….
…I forgot the next part.

 

[snackdaddy]

I think dead heat has something to do with horse racing when they ran the same horse in multiple races and the winner was the one with the most wins. Something about when there is no clear winner.

"Saved by the bell"

 

[AvengerRam]

The whole nine yards..

Based on the depths of routes ran by WRs on third and 10 under Jeff Fisher, no?

 

[RamFan503]

I think dead heat has something to do with horse racing when they ran the same horse in multiple races and the winner was the one with the most wins. Something about when there is no clear winner.

"Saved by the bell"

Close enough on the dead heat one. It comes from horse racing. They only tracked wins. If a race or "heat" ended in a tie, it didn't count - therefore it was considered dead.

Saved by the bell - boxing? Is it when a boxer survives a potential knock out by the bell ending the round?

 

[ScotsRam]

This thread is great.

What about daylight robbery? Clue - it's probably not what you would assume

 

[Selassie I]

This thread is great.

What about daylight robbery? Clue - it's probably not what you would assume

Does this refer to Standard Time instead of Daylight Savings Time?

 

[ScotsRam]

Does this refer to Standard Time instead of Daylight Savings Time?

It does not. In Georgian times (1750s or so I think... definitely pre-Victorian), the government taxed glass and people couldn't afford windows on their houses. So they built smaller windows or boarded windows up. They would curse the government and call them 'daylight robbers' because they had much less natural light in their houses.

 

[dieterbrock]

It's probably an easy one since I know the answer, but how about:
Checkmate

 

[TK42-RAM]

It does not. In Georgian times (1750s or so I think... definitely pre-Victorian), the government taxed glass and people couldn't afford windows on their houses. So they built smaller windows or boarded windows up. They would curse the government and call them 'daylight robbers' because they had much less natural light in their houses.

Interesting. I knew of the ridiculous tax on windows during the late 17th early 18th century and the lengths the common people went to not have to pay it - EDIT ~it went for 55 years ffs 1896-1851- but never related it to the term daylight robbery -- thought that was holding up a stagecoach during the day.