Originally posted by mindseye
Recently I came across "it's all swings and byways" which seemed to mean "six of one, half a dozen of the other."
Is this a Britism, Cockney, or Oz-speak? Anyone know what the "swings" refer to?
Recently I came across "it's all swings and byways" which seemed to mean "six of one, half a dozen of the other."
Is this a Britism, Cockney, or Oz-speak? Anyone know what the "swings" refer to?
I believe in British English the phrase is more often:
'swings and roundabouts'- the kind of entertainment found in municipal parks and gardens for tiny tots or lager louts.
"give someone the Spanish archer"
If I'm not mistaken, the "french disease" (syphilis) is called the "English disease" in france too.
I think our lovely neighbours refer to it as the Italian or Spanish disease- 'twas French armies campaigning in northern Italy that allegedly introduced the new more virulent variety to France.
The French do have 'le vice anglais' though- as well as 'le style anglais', so there must be some love in there somewhere...
Here are some Biblical idoms from the King James Authorized Version :
'the apple of his eye'
'the salt of the earth'
'cast pearls before swine'
'new wine into old bottles'
'to kick against the pr!cks'
'rule with a rod of iron'
'to suffer fools gladly'
'the strait and narrow'
'the skin of my teeth'
'(a wolf) in sheep's clothing'
'the root of the matter'
'a lamb brought to the slaughter'
'if the blind lead the blind'
'out of the mouths of babes'
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