Word Origins That Have Been Verified as True

I recently got an email from somebody touting the origins of words and phrases, such as “a shot of whiskey.” The article said it comes from the Old West, where  a .45 cartridge for a six-gun cost 12 cents, and so did a glass of whiskey. If a cowhand was low on cash he would often give the bartender a cartridge in exchange for a drink. This became known as a “shot” of whiskey.

But this is simply not true, and Snopes debunked it: here.

So, here are others from that same email that I verified and/or corrected where necessary.

Barrel of oil — I often wondered why we refer to gasoline by the gallon but oil by the barrel. It’s because in the early days of oil drilling, people used existing barrels used to store water, whiskey, fish, turpentine or molasses to store the oil. (The original email said it was just water barrels.)

Buying the farm — Some sources believe it traces back to WWI pilots getting life insurance policies worth about the value of an average farm. Other sources say it has to do with a plane crashing on a farm and the farmer suing and collecting from the damage. (The original email listed the farm value at $5,000, which I couldn’t verify.)

Cobweb — We all know these are spider webs. The Old English word for spider was coppe, pronounced “cob.” (The original email had the original word as “cob.”)

Curfew — It’s from the French couvre-feu meaning “cover fire.” It described the time to blow out all oil lamps and candles. Its original meaning refers to a law made by William The Conqueror that all lights and fires should be covered at the ringing of an eight o’clock bell to prevent fires from spreading within communities of timber buildings.

(The original email told a story about how “homes had no real fireplaces so a fire was built in the centre of the room. In order to make sure a fire did not get out of control during the night it was required that, by an agreed upon time, all fires would be covered with a clay pot called-a ‘curfew.’ ” I couldn’t find that story anywhere, nor could I find proof that a clay pot was called a curfew.)

Hot off the press — If you’ve ever picked up a newspaper right after it came off the printing press, you’d know how hot it is. I have. The memory scars me.

Over a barrel — Before CPR, a drowning victim would be placed face down over a barrel and the barrel would be rolled back and forth in an effort to empty the lungs of water. It was rarely effective.

Also, people were draped over a barrel and flogged.

Either way, it’s a sign you’re in deep trouble.

Stateroom — From the Latin status, meaning “condition or manner of being.” Rooms in a mansion were “rooms of state” and were very fancy and luxurious. So was the captain’s quarters on a ship. (The original email said steamship rooms were not numbered but named after states, which I couldn’t verify.)

I sent the email back to everyone whose address was listed. Many of these people I did not know, but I found it important enough to inform them they are getting bad info.

I ended my email with the following warning: Don’t believe everything you read, especially online.

Until next time! Use the right words!

leebarnathan.com