aphorisms based on agriculture and nautical matters

[The Knize]

It came up in another thread that there are a lot of aphorisms, sayings, etc. that date back a long time that are in current use, yet are based on agricultural or nautical experiences modern listeners are far less likely to have experienced that people of the past, because not as many of us are involving in farming or sailing. I thought it would be fun to come up with some. Extra points for ones whose original meaning might be obscure to someone unfamiliar with those trades, at least as practiced back in the day, at the origin of the phrase, or that do not even sound nautical or agricultural in origin, but are.

To kick things off:

"Between the devil and the deep blue sea."

"til the cows come home."

"weigh anchor"

"don't look a gift horse in the mouth"

"tide me over"

"taken aback"

"toe the line"

"hand over fist"

"at loose ends"

"cut and run"

" in the offing"

"foot loose"

"sheets to the wind"

"slush fund"

"put out to pasture"

"fox in the hen house"

"separate the wheat from the chaff"

"make hay while the sun shines"

"pig in a poke"

"buy the farm"

"in a pig's eye"

I know there are better, more obscure one's out there!

 

[Altreac]

Love these.

Can't say I know many, and you got the only one I could think of off hand with Wheat from the Chaff, but in a similar vein, if you want a few on Blacksmithing, there are quite a lot.

One comes to mind I heard from the Navy was to "float test" items to be disposed of...

I have vague memories of something to do with the 'roof off the barn'...

 

[mrlandpirate]

ships in the night
sea legs
furrow your brow

 

[Tillerman]

Tapping the Admiral .
Red sky at night sailors delight.

 

[Tillerman]

In the short rows.

 

[SparkyLB]

I'll bite. (No pun intended.)

There are those who are learned in the ways of telling a horse's age by looking at its teeth. The expression "Don't look a. . . ." suggests searching for imperfections, or superior attributes.

The saying means when you're given a gift, simply appreciate it for what it is. Etiquette worth chewing on.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Even-keeled
Out of your depth
To the bitter end (some disagreement of whether that's nautical or ret-conned)

Tough row to hoe
gone to seed
horse high, pig tight, and bull strong (although I always heard it just "horse high and pig tight").
a burr under your saddle
feeling your oats
like grain through a goose
on it like a duck on a junebug

 

[The Knize]

if you want a few on Blacksmithing

Why, heck, yes, we want a few or more than a few on blacksmithing, and, I assume, the arguably related farriery (horse shoeing--great word, eh?) That seems like a rich vein to pursue. (I am thinking mining terms, too. Maybe something from railroading.)

What trade does "more than one way to skin a cat" fit under? Stringed instrument maintenance? (Apologies to the feline princess of our house!)

 

[The Knize]

Even-keeled
Out of your depth
To the bitter end (some disagreement of whether that's nautical or ret-conned)

Tough row to hoe
gone to seed
horse high, pig tight, and bull strong (although I always heard it just "horse high and pig tight").
a burr under your saddle
feeling your oats
like grain through a goose
on it like a duck on a junebug

Those are fabulous, Dart S. What is ret-conned? I think of a bitter end being the end of an anchor rope, but I do not know why I think that. "Gone to seed" and "burr under saddle" are excellent and useful. I do not think I have ever heard "horse high and pig tight." What does that phrase mean/refer to?

We could do military, too. "don't expect any productive work out of him. He stacked arms long ago." Or phrases just used in the military. "I am short. So short I can walk under doors."

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Those are fabulous, Dart S. What is ret-conned? I think of a bitter end being the end of an anchor rope, but I do not know why I think that. "Gone to seed" and "burr under saddle" are excellent and useful. I do not think I have ever heard "horse high and pig tight." What does that phrase mean/refer to?

We could do military, too. "don't expect any productive work out of him. He stacked arms long ago." Or phrases just used in the military. "I am short. So short I can walk under doors."

"Retcon" probably isn't the right word, it means "retroactive continuity." Usually in fiction, it's when a plot point gets a new explanation later on (in a sequel, for instance) as the story develops beyond its original scope. So yeah, the bitts are what you'd feed an anchor cable through, and going to the bitter end would be the end opposite the anchor. But I remember reading that it's not clear if the phrase actually came from nautical usage or if it was just a coincidence.

If you're building a fence, it should be high enough that a horse can't jump it, tight enough to keep the hogs in, and strong enough that a bull can't knock it over (originally I think people were talking about split rail fences). At least where I'm from, anything that was built solidly and well was said to be horse high and pig tight.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

Not an aphorism but quaint British Royal Navy slang. Fratton is the last railway station before Portsmouth where is located a Naval base. To 'get out at Fratton' is Naval slang for coitus interruptus.

 

[Roman Totale XVII]

One of the early uses of radio transmissions in the US, was to send weather reports to farmers. Hence the term ‘broadcast’ was coined, based off the original, agricultural meaning of ‘to widely spread seed’

 

[SparkyLB]

Is, "hiking the appalachian trail" not agricultural enough? Perhaps not. Maybe just a euphemism.

Random though--euphemisms would fit well in this thread if the OP was agreeable. My apologies if I'm out of turn.

 

[Altreac]

Why, heck, yes, we want a few or more than a few on blacksmithing, and, I assume, the arguably related farriery (horse shoeing--great word, eh?) That seems like a rich vein to pursue. (I am thinking mining terms, too. Maybe something from railroading.)

What trade does "more than one way to skin a cat" fit under? Stringed instrument maintenance? (Apologies to the feline princess of our house!)

I just didn't want anyone to 'lose their head' if I derailed the topic. lol

-hit the nail on the head
-lose your temper
-too many irons in the fire
-forge ahead/on
-hammer out a deal
-got a nice ring to it
-you only get one chance to make a good first impression.

There's so many, I can't remember nearly all I heard. But definitely not for just ferriers. Ferriers are a special subset of blacksmithing with a veterinary crossover.


So not just agricultural and nautical. Hrmmm....

-grab the bull by the horns

 

[Darth Scandalous]

-too many irons in the fire

I always figured this one had to do with branding cattle.

And speaking of farriers, "cut to the quick" is not specifically agricultural, but I learned the phrase in that context-- as in, something you don't want to do when you're cleaning up the underside of a horse's hoof with a hoof knife.

 

[Doc4]

I know there are better, more obscure one's out there!

I didn't want to be in this thread, but I got shanghai'd into it.

 

[JunkerJorge]

Funny how we use these things and never think a ton about the etymology. Without thinking about it I always sort of thought the “gift horse” aphorism was in reference to the Trojan horse (clearly it’s not). Also certain phrases like separating the wheat and chaff are obviously agrarian but probably endure to us because they are biblical.

 

[Altreac]

I always figured this one had to do with branding cattle.

And speaking of farriers, "cut to the quick" is not specifically agricultural, but I learned the phrase in that context-- as in, something you don't want to do when you're cleaning up the underside of a horse's hoof with a hoof knife.

Honestly it could be, but I suspect it's blacksmithing. I've got nothing conclusive either way.

I don't know a lot about cattle branding, but I can't see what harm would come of having too many iron cattle brands in a fire. Other than you have a lot of hot brands.
On the other hand, in blacksmithing, a production smith may have several pieces in the coal forge going at a time to work with the metal's cooling cycles. But when you get ahead of yourself, and have 'too many irons in the fire', they start to vaporize and you lose them. It's pretty spectacular. When the iron or steel vaporize it's the same chemical reaction as those sparklers you wave around on fireworks days.

 

[emwolf]

my brother in law is a farmer and the one I've always heard him say: Anything tastes good with enough butter and salt.

 

[The Knize]

If you're building a fence, it should be high enough that a horse can't jump it, tight enough to keep the hogs in, and strong enough that a bull can't knock it over

Now that you say that, I think I have heard that phrase. That is perfect!

I suppose there is a euphemism! I think we need to be delicate, if possible. Sort of a rule of reasonableness. As a former Mod, I should be better able to articulate the line we should not cross than I am able. I am guessing the euphemism without an explanation may often work. I apologize to the current Mods if I am wrong and encouraging any misbehavior or leading anyone astray here.

I am very intrigued as to what "hiking the appalachian trail" refers to!!!

"Cut to the quick" "too many irons in the fire" are just perfect! Great explanation of iron in the fire. "coal forge"--I love the term. Do smiths typically call a coal forge in operation a "fire." My grandfather fancied himself something of a blacksmith. Props to true blacksmiths!

I like all the blacksmith suggestions. I have never thought about "losing one's temper." We do refer to individuals as having a "temper." Does that derive somehow from the temper of a piece of steel?

'get out at Fratton'

That is just too good.

shanghai'd

That needs to be capitalized, methinks, which immediately renders it kind of non-PC, doesn't it? I wonder why the city is particularly associated with the civilian version of impressment.

Anything tastes good with enough butter and salt.

In my experience, that should be something said in a classic French kitchen. Or maybe, anything tastes even better with more butter and salt!

There must be some good kitchen/bakery sayings. "Bakers dozen" I suppose.