Tag: history

Did You Know?

DYK: He was taken back by the site

Did you know that “Taken back” is a nautical term. If the wind suddenly changed direction a sailing ship stopped moving forward. It was ‘taken aback’, which was a bit of a shock for the sailors.   VINEGAR OF THE FOUR THIEVES: Recipes & curious tips from the past See best-selling books by Donna R […]

Did You Know?

DYK: Let’s start from scratch

Many old sayings are also horse racing term. The phrase ‘START FROM SCRATCH” comes from the days when a line was scratched in the ground for a race. The racers would start from the scratch. WHERE DO I START? Hints and Tips for Beginning Genealogists with On-line resources

Did You Know?

DYK: She was spinning a good yarn

Many old sayings come from nautical terms as is the case with ‘Spinning a a yarn’. Rope was made in ports everywhere. The rope makers chatted while they worked. They told each other stories while they were spinning a yarn. WHERE DO I START? Hints and Tips for Beginning Genealogists with On-line resources