Sayings you just don't understand...

[84porsche]

Well in the good ole English language, we have quite a few sayings that to me just don't make any sense, maybe you guys can elaborate on some of these and maybe throw in a few of your own.

"More than one way to skin a cat" - Who skins cats??

"Kill 2 birds with one stone." - Is this even possible, do you know anyone that can make a shot like that if it was legal?

I know the meanings but where did these sayings come from? My curiousity is killing the cat.

[VaSteve]

"all but"

This phrase is used EVERY day in the paper. I think it means almost. I find it irritating as hell.

[tangerine911S]

"believe you me"

"same difference"

Both irritate the hell out of me.

[126coupe]

I hate"ya know what i sayin" and "whatever"

[TerryH]

It's been raining cats and dogs all day in SoCal.

[rammstein]

Originally Posted by TerryH

It's been raining cats and dogs all day in SoCal.

Comes from the days when roofing was made of hay or something like that. When it rained really hard, the roof would sometimes open up enough to let the cats and dogs who slept up there fall through.

[rammstein]

Originally Posted by 84porsche

"Kill 2 birds with one stone." - Is this even possible, do you know anyone that can make a shot like that if it was legal?

Sounds like a challenge. Hold my beer...

[RWebb]

ya' betcha!

[Turboo934]

Shot a Chicken In the head and killed the one standing behind it. One in a million shot. Dam I liked that bird!

[tiwebber]

cant get there from here. It was funny in the original travel ad but it became a mis-used mantra for the mindless masses.

[LWJ]

went shoot and the hogs ate 'em
(from my Hoosier friend)

Note: Friend does not say "shoot" Editor would not let me write correct word

[pwd72s]

You do skin a cat...a catfish. The origin of the phrase....or so I've been told.

[911Rob]

parkway vs: driveway
You drive on a parkway and park on a driveway?

I had an email years ago that explained all kinds of these sayings; it was pretty interesting.

Things like "Sleep tight" from when they would bound the mattresses with rope around straw and tighten the ropes before sleeping. "Dont let the bed bugs bite"; well thats obvious.

There was a whole page... I'll have to remember and post later.

[2.70Racer]

As part of my wife's nursing school, she did indeed skin and dissect a dead cat.
As the nursing students compared notes, it was apparent they had used different approaches to skinnng each cat.
For me it is just a little more than a "saying".
Every level of society uses inside words and "sayings" which differentiate them from outsiders.
It's human nature.
"You're not from around here?" Spit. Etc.

[Bill Douglas]

Running with the hare and hunting with the hound.

[SlowToady]

"A little bit of this, a little bit of that."

Drives me flippin nuts when people say that, usually in response to "Whatcha doin tonight?"

[IROC]

"Tighter than Dick's Hatband" Who's Dick and why is his hat so tight?

"Pulled a gunyon cord". I have no idea what this means, but it sounds painful.

"Couldn't pull greasy strings out of a cat's butt." I just laugh at that one.

[widgeon13]

"Takes one to know one"

[cmccuist]

"Hoist on his own petard"

I never understood that one. Apparently it means that you fell into your own trap.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petard

I thought a petard was some kind of garment - like a leotard - but it turns out it's a bomb.

[exc911ence]

Please explain why someone falling down can be described as falling "A$$ over teakettle".