Caledesi's Nightly "Hey, what is the origin of that phrase?"

caledesi

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Wed Nov-05-03 08:44 PM
Original message

Caledesi's Nightly "Hey, what is the origin of that phrase?"

Edited on Wed Nov-05-03 08:49 PM by caledesi

Folks, I am in a whimsical mood tonight, and one of my favorite things to learn about is the origin of phrases we use on almost a daily basis w/o thinking.

So I begin tonight's quiz with a phrase that is used very often, but not too many people know the origin.

Phrase: "S/He is on the wagon." <meaning not drinking>

How did this phrase originate?

Winner gets to talk to me in braille!! LOL!

I plan to do this nightly because it's so fun. <yeah, I need a life>

NO GOOGLING!

Deadline: Midnight EST

edit: usual sh*t

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LincolnMcGrath

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Wed Nov-05-03 08:50 PM
Response to Original message

1. Paint your wagon Braille

It�s an American expression, dating in written form from the beginning of this century, though almost certainly older. Its original form was to be on the water-wagon, implying that the speaker was drinking water rather than alcohol and so was an abstainer, at least for the time being. I�ve not been able to trace its antecedents further back (my reference books are all strangely silent on the phrase), but a link with the temperance movement would seem likely. The Random House Webster�s dictionary says there�s a British equivalent on the water cart, which I�ve never heard and which is not in any of my other references, not even Partridge.

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caledesi

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Wed Nov-05-03 08:52 PM
Response to Reply #1

2. Close, but no cigar. nt

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Nailzberg

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Wed Nov-05-03 08:59 PM
Response to Original message

3. This one always confused me.

I never understood the "on the wagon" vs. "off the wagon". To me, I would figure it to be the other way around. It's like a hay-ride. You would think being on the wagon would like a big party. People drinking some Gloog or cider, laughing, having a good time. It's like, "Dude, you should have been on the wagon last night, we had a blast!" OR if someone gets to drunbk, they fall off the wagon and it's like "He's off the wagon, Ha Ha!" and the wagon driver stops and lets the guy get back on.

But since being on the wagon means being sober, I have no clue why. It makes more sense reversed.

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bicentennial_baby

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Wed Nov-05-03 09:01 PM
Response to Original message

4. Pioneer days, wagon trains

If you're drunk, you fall "off the wagon", hence the phrase. At least that's what I heard. :shrug:

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caledesi

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Wed Nov-05-03 09:05 PM
Response to Reply #4

7. No PDWT...that's not it. Much more interesting.

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Robb

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Wed Nov-05-03 09:03 PM
Response to Original message

5. Could it be...

...from those old westerns, where the ladies against sin go by on the wagon with the big sign that says something like "Temperance"?

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caledesi

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Wed Nov-05-03 09:07 PM
Response to Reply #5

8. Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!

In the old western days, Temperance groups would pull drunks off the street onto a wagon and have then sing 24/7 from hymn books so that would not drink. Hence, the term: on the wagon.

I love it!

Congrats Robb!

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Robb

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Wed Nov-05-03 09:16 PM
Response to Reply #8

9. Hooray!

I never won nuthin' before!

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dweller

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Wed Nov-05-03 09:04 PM
Response to Original message

6. when the drunk falls off the wagon

he feels no pain.

dp

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