The desire for knowledge, like the thirst for riches, increases ever with the acquisition of it. Laurence Sterne 1760
CLICK HERE
FOR MUSIC.
KANGAROO COURT---It was a common man's court set up by the British in Australia. Australia was originally a British penal colony and the court had little care for what happened to the people who were sent there. The court was known for trumped up charges and swift justice.
KEELHAULING---Severe reprimand---"You could get keelhauled for that."---It was once the practice to tie a delinquent sailor to a yardarm, attach a weight to his feet, and then by means of a rope "haul" him from one side of the ship to the other beneath the "keel." It was often fatal.
KEEP A STIFF UPPER LIP---Maintain your composure; don't let your emotions go.---"Just keep a stiff upper lip, everything is going to turn out alright."---The lips usually quiver as a prelude to crying. John Neil (1833). Down Easters. "What's the use of boohooin'?....keep a stiff upper lip; no bones broke don't I know?"
KEEP OUT OF MY HAIR---Don't bother me.
KEEP THE BALL ROLLING---Sustain an action.---"Don't stop now, let's keep the ball rolling."---Presidential campaign of 1840. Supporters of William Henry Harrison rolled large balls in political parades and chanting "Keep the [Harrison] ball rolling."
KEEP YOUR EYES WIDE OPEN BEFORE MARRIAGE, HALF SHUT AFTERWARDS---Be careful not to marry the wrong person, but once you've made a commitment, be tolerant of your spouse's shortcomings.---Benjamin Franklin (1738.) Poor Richards Almanac.
KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED---Be alert; watchful.---Probably an analogy between peeling of a fruit and opening of the eyelids.---(1853). Daily Morning herald. "Young man! Keep your eye peeled when you are after the women."
KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED---To hope something will succeed and not fail.---Probably an analogy to making the sign of the cross to ward off danger.---(1930).
KEEP YOUR HEAD ABOVE WATER---Avoid disaster.---"I am barely keeping my head above water."---Usually related to finance.---Henry Fielding (1742). The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews. "If I can hold my head above water it is all I can.
KEEP YOUR NOSE CLEAN---Stay out of trouble.---L.R. Gribble (1938.) Tragedy in E. Flat.
KEEP YOUR POWDER DRY---Stay prepared for action.---In the days of the muzzle loaders the most important thing was to keep your gunpowder dry. Oliver Cromwell (1649). "Put your trust in God; but be sure to keep your powder dry."
KEEP YOUR SHIRT ON---Stay calm.---"Just keep your shirt on, I'll be there in a minute.---George W. Harris (1854). The Spirit of the Times. "I say, you durned ash cats, just keep yer shirts on, will ye?"
KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES---Trying to live in the style of your neighbors or acquaintances (straining your resources to do so)---"I am not going to try to keep up with the Joneses"---Came from a comic strip in the newspapers from 1913 to 1931 called "keeping up with the Joneses"
KICK A MAN WHEN HE IS DOWN---To abuse or pick on someone when they are at their weakest.---"Don't bother Mike, it is not right to kick a man when he is down."---Ray (1732). "He that's down, down with him." Young (1586). Civil Conversation. "The tree is no sooner fallen downe to the grounde, but everie one is readie to runne uppon it with his hatchette."
KICK THE BUCKET---Die.---"Poor old Joe kicked the bucket last night."---Carr (1828). Craven Dialect. To kick the bucket an unfeeling phrase for to die."
KILL THE GOOSE THAT LAID THE GOLDEN EGG---To lose someone or ruin something that is bringing you profit or well being.---"Jerry killed the goose that laid the golden egg when he left Connie."---Aesop Fable. Gaskell (1855). North and South. "And now they come to us, and say we're to take less. And we won't, they'll have killed the goose that laid 'em the golden eggs, I reckon.
KILL THEM WITH KINDNESS---Be nice and disarm a person who may be angry or against you.---"They are rather irate but I am going to try to kill them with kindness."---T. Heywood (1607). A Woman Kilde with Kindnesse. "I bear her an amorous grudge still, I could kill her with kindness."
KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE---Do one thing and get more than on done with the same effort.---"By siding the house I am going to increase it's value and protect it at the same time. I'll kill two birds with one stone."---Fielding (1734). Univ. Gallant. "This is better than my hopes! This is killing two birds with one stone."
KILLROY WAS HERE---Anonymous graffiti used especially during WWII by soldiers to mean "I was here."---One theory has it that a shipyard inspector at Quincy Massachusetts, named Kilroy used that tag to mark the cargo he had inspected. The saying probably originated around 1940 and was widely used by American and British soldiers all over the world. It was written on walls, sidewalks, windows, fences and billboards wherever the troops were stationed.
KISS AND TELL---Don't tell about your conquests when they belong to someone else.---"Be careful, she will kiss and tell."---Jonson (1616). Forest V. "Tis no sin love's fruit to steal, but the sweet theft to reveal." Cotton (1675). Burlesque upon Burlesque. "And if he needs must kiss and tell, I'll kick him headlong into hell.
K.I.S.S---The K.I.S.S principal, keep it simple stupid.---"I think the K.I.S.S principal should prevail here."---The simpler you keep something the easier it is to maintain and understand.
KIT AND CABOODLE (The whole)---Everything; The whole lot.---"He brought the whole kit and caboodle with him."---Probable meaning: "boodle" from the Dutch word "boedel" meaning, a crowd or bunch and "kit" meaning a collection of ones possessions that were carried around. Caboodle possibly a bastardization of kit and boodle. Used in Stephen Crane's The Red Badge of Courage. "Of course it might happen that the hull kit and boodle might start and run, if any big fighting came first off."
KNEE HIGH TO A GRASSHOPPER---Short; young.---"She isn't knee high to a grasshopper."---(1851). Democratic Review. "You pretend to be my daddies; some of you who are not knee high to a grasshopper!"
KNOCK A BUZZARD OFF A SHIT WAGON---Something that smells terrible.---"Get it out of here, that would knock a buzzard off a shit wagon."
new!KNOCK OFF WORK---To quit suddenly; to stop.---"It's about time to knock off work."---Nautical origin: Aboard sailing ships, the galleys used to be rowed to the rythem of a mallet striking a wooden block. When the knocking stopped, it was a signal to stop rowing.---Richard H. Dana Two Years Before the Mast. "After we had knocked off work and cleaned up the decks for the night."
KNOCK ON WOOD---It was once thought that the devil lived in wood. The idea was to deafen the devil so he could not interfere in whatever good thing was being proposed at the time.
KNOW BEANS (Don't)---Knowing little.---"He don't know beans about baseball."---More than a century ago, rural humor included a brief query: A person was asked how many blue beans it took to make seven white beans. A person who gave up didn't know beans, for the answer was simple: Seven blue beans, peeled, make seven white ones. Anyone who doesn't know beans of course, doesn't know diddly squat.
KNOW THE ROPES---To be familiar with something.---"It won't take long and you will know the ropes."---Nautical term. A new crewman on ship wasn't very useful until he knew what all the ropes were for. Richard Henry (1840). Two Years before the Mast. "The captain, who.....knew all the ropes, took the steering oar."
KNOW WHICH SIDE YOUR BREAD IS BUTTERED ON---Keep in mind where your interest lies; where your income comes from.---"I am going to be nice to my wife, I know which side my bread is buttered on."---Heywood (1546). Proverbs. "I know on whiche syde my breade is buttred."
KNUCKLE DOWN---To take seriously the business at hand.---"You are going to have to knuckle down and get this job done."---Dictionary (1740). A phrase used by lads in a marble game called taw. They frequently say knuckle down to your taw, or fit your hand exactly in the place where your marble lies. You were watched carefully lest you move to a more advantageous position. (hunch).
KNUCKLE UNDER---Submit; acknowledge defeat.---"I am going to continue to fight this, I am not going to knuckle under"---When one is down on one's knees, your knuckles are under. Mary E. Braddon (1882). Mount Royal. "They must all knuckle under to him."
KOWTOW---Won't stand your ground; subservient.---"When she says jump, he jumps. Why does he always kowtow to her?"---Newcomers to China learned that in order to get along there they'd better observe some Chinese customs. One of the most important was the ritual of kotow (later westernized to kowtow). According to the custom, anyone brought into the presence of a person of higher rank knelt in formal fashion and touched his forehead to the floor or ground. The custom never caught on here but plenty of people practice it just the same.