Here's something interesting from Newsweek magazine

Post Reply
User avatar
SOJOURNER
Posts: 5362
Joined: Fri Sep 23, 2005 10:32 am

Here's something interesting from Newsweek magazine

Post by SOJOURNER »

Where did the expression come from?



"BASKET CASE" meaning hysterical



The Oxford English Dictionary's first cited use of the phrase dates back to 1919: the slang referred to "a soldier who has lost both legs and arms and therefore cannot be carried on a stretcher."

Perhaps in attemps to temper the term's insensitivity, the metaphor has since morphed to milder interpretations, such as "one who has been made helpless by stress or mental illness" or "one who is emotionally or mentally unable to cope," finally resulting in today's usage as "hysterical."
observer1
Posts: 4816
Joined: Fri Aug 19, 2005 7:27 am

Here's something interesting from Newsweek magazine

Post by observer1 »

That's very interesting! I've often wondered where a lot of our sayings come from. Anyone know about any others?? :-3
gmc
Posts: 13566
Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2004 9:44 am

Here's something interesting from Newsweek magazine

Post by gmc »

Where do you want to start? A surprising number are naval or military in origin.

from firing muskets, Going off half cocked, firing without cocking it properly first, flash in the pan, lock stock and barrel, ramrod straight, full bore,

taken all aback, seven sheets to the wind, in the doldrums, to the bitter end, between the devil and the deep blue sea.

actually most of colloquialism I know are going to be british in origin.
Post Reply

Return to “History”