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SHIT 
In the 16th and 17th centuries, everything had to be transported by ship. It was also before commercial fertilizers were invented, so large shipments of manure were common. It was shipped dry, because in dry form it weighed a lot less than when wet. However once water (at sea) hit it, it not only became heavier, but the process of fermentation began again, of which a by product is methane gas. As the stuff was stored below decks in bundles you can see what could (and did) happen. Methane began to build up below decks and the first time someone came below at night with a lantern, BOOOOM! Several ships were destroyed in this manner before it was determined just what was happening.
After that, the bundles of manure were always stamped with the term “Ship High In Transit” on them, which meant for the sailors to stow it high enough off the lower decks so that any water that came into the hold would not touch this volatile cargo and start the production of methane. Later this was shortened to bags labeled S.H.I.T…thus evolved the familiar term “S-H-I-T ” (Ship High In Transport) which has come down through the centuries and is in use to this very day. Could SHIT happens be related to the accidents in transit
BIG WIG
As incredible as it sounds, men and women took baths only twice a year (May and October). Women kept their hair covered, while men shaved
their heads (because of lice and bugs) and wore wigs. Wealthy men could afford good wigs made from wool. They couldn’t wash the wigs, so to clean them they would carve out a loaf of bread, put the wig in the shell, and bake it for 30 minutes. The heat would make the wig big and fluffy, hence the term ‘big wig.’ Today we often use the term ‘here comes the Big Wig’ because someone appears to be or is powerful and wealthy
FUCK
The word “FUCK” is said to actually be an acronym that originated in medieval times, dung the black plague to keep the population from dwindling (shrinking). It stood for: Fornicate Under Command of the King,
The true origin of this word predates “Fornication Under Consent of the King”. Originally the Acronym FUCK was the term used to decribe the act of rape. It stands for “Forced Unlawful Carnal Knowledge.” In its original use it was considered to be the most unacceptable act imaginable and hence the word became almost taboo. Over the years the use has been adapted into daily conversation but the underlying emotion of its use have remained.
‘COLD ENOUGH TO FREEZE THE BALLS OFF A BRASS MONKEY”
In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters carried iron cannons. Those cannons fired round iron cannon balls. It was necessary to keep a good supply near the cannon. However, how to prevent them from rolling about the deck? The best storage method devised was a square-based pyramid with one ball on top, resting on four resting on nine, which rested on sixteen. Thus, a supply of 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small area right next to the cannon. There was only one problem…how to prevent the bottom layer from sliding or rolling from under the others. The solution was a metal plate called a ‘Monkey’ with 16 round indentations. However, if this plate were made of iron, the iron balls would quickly rust to it.
The solution to the rusting problem was to make ‘Brass Monkeys.’
Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much faster than iron when chilled. Consequently, when the temperature dropped too far, the brass indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannonballs would come right off the monkey. Thus, it was quite literally, ‘Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey.’ (All this time, you thought that was an improper expression, didn’t you.)
SON OF A GUN
The nautical explanation is that in the age of sail, women, wives, mistresses, and prostitutes, were frequently on board ship when in port or sailing in home waters and occasionally children would be born aboard ship. Common sailors slept on the gun deck and when on board, their wives and mistresses would sleep there too. If a child were born on board, it would likely be born on the gun deck. If male, such a child was referred to as a son of a gun. This legend dates back to the mid-19th century. Admiral William Henry Smyth wrote in his 1867 book, the Sailor’s Word-book, that is one of the primary sources for data on 19th century nautical lingo:
PAPPRAZZI
Paparazzi, plural of Paparazzo, comes from the name of a character in Fellini’s La Dolce Vita. In the movie, Paparazzo was a photographer who would go to great lengths to take pictures of American movie stars.
LOSING FACE – MIND YOUR BEES WAX AND CRACK A SMILE
Personal hygiene left room for improvement. As a result many women and men developed acne scars by adulthood. The women would spread bee’s wax over their facial skin to smooth out their complexions. When they were speaking to each other, if a woman began to stare at another woman’s face she was told, ‘mind your own bee’s wax.’ Should the woman smile, the wax would crack, hence the term ‘crack a smile’. In addition, when they sat too close to the fire, the wax would melt . . .
Therefore, the expression ‘losing face.’
DON’T THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER
During the 1500s, baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.”
RULE OF THUMB
Most think it comes from the original rule of thumb that appeared in English Common Law. The law said that a man could not beat his wife with a stick that was thicker than his thumb. Beating her with smaller sticks was permitted, and in some regions encouraged, to keep the woman in her place. Happy the practise has changed but wonder how many of us who use this phrase know of it’s origin. Well now you know.
KICKING THE BUCKET
‘Kicking the bucket’ is a phrase famous that originate in Norfolk for describing a death, where the beam used to suspend a pig after slaughter is called a bucket. As the pig was hung it would often kick it in its death spasms.
IT WILL COST YOU AN ARM AND A LEG
In George Washington’s days, there were no cameras. One’s image was either sculpted or painted. Some paintings of George Washington showed him standing behind a desk with one arm behind his back while others showed both legs and both arms. Prices charged by painters were not based on how many people were to be painted, but by how many limbs were to be painted. Arms and legs are ‘limbs,’ therefore painting them would cost the buyer more. Hence the expression, ‘Okay, but it’ll cost you an arm and a leg.’ (Artists know hands and arms are more difficult to paint)
PLAYING WITH A FULL DECK
Common entertainment included playing cards. However, there was a tax levied when purchasing playing cards but only applicable to the ‘Ace of Spades.’ To avoid paying the tax, people would purchase 51 cards instead. Yet, since most games require 52 cards, these people were thought to be stupid or dumb because they weren’t ‘playing with a full deck.’
GOSSIP
Early politicians required feedback from the public to determine what the people considered important. Since there were no telephones, TV’s or radios, the politicians sent their assistants to local taverns, pubs, and bars. They were told to ‘go sip some ale’ and listen to people’s conversations and political concerns. Many assistants were dispatched at different times. ‘You go sip here’ and ‘You go sip there.’ The two words ‘go sip’ were eventually combined when referring to the local opinion and, thus we have the term ‘gossip.’
HAYWIRE
In farms and ranches, the farmers would wrap bales of hay around with tightly strung wires in order to for them to be more easily stored and transferred. In some occasions, the wire would snap, whipping out wildly and injuring anyone nearby.
THE NAKED TRUTH
This expression originated from the following old fable: “Truth and Falsehood went swimming. Falsehood stole the clothes that Truth had left on the river bank, but Truth refused to wear Falsehood’s clothes and went naked.”
MINDING YOUR ‘P’S AND Q’S
At local taverns, pubs, and bars, people drank from pint and quart-sized containers. A bar maid’s job was to keep an eye on the customers and keep the drinks coming. She had to pay close attention and remember who was drinking in ‘pints’ and who was drinking in ‘quarts,’ hence the term ‘minding your ‘P’s and Q’s ‘
“IT’S RAINING CATS AND DOGS ‘
Houses in the 1500s had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof. Hence the saying … “It’s raining cats and dogs.”
GRAVEYARD SHIFT’ AND ‘DEAD RINGER
England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. (!!!) So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift) to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be, saved by the bell or was considered a …dead ringer.
DIRT POOR AND THRESHOLD
In houses centuries ago, the floor was simply dirt. Only the very wealthy had something other than a dirt floor, hence the saying, dirt poor. The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entranceway…hence the saying….a thresh hold.