Boot:
"I'll give you that, to boot", "boot" meaning "as well" in this
instance. The saying has nothing to do with footwear, but rather Anglo
Saxon English where the word "Bot" meant "advantage" or "profit". "To
boot" survives in modern English only in this single phrase, other uses
having died out in the 19th century.
The
boot's on the other foot implies that there has been a reversal of
circumstances in a situation. In this instance the "boot" is indeed an
item of footwear. In the 18th century there was a major change in the
method of making footwear; for the first time right and left sides
could be made. Before that they were the same for both feet and if a
boot was uncomfortable on one foot, it could be tried on the other,
often with success. A total change came about when the boot was on the
other foot.
In March 2005 Victoria Dennis took exception to this suggestion. She
wrote. "This story is the exact opposite of the truth! In the Middle
Ages shoes were made of lightweight leather by the "turnshoe" method;
that is, they were stitched together inside out and then turned so that
the seams were on the inside. Mediaeval turnshoes were made with a
right and a left. In the 17th century shoes began to be made with much
thicker soles and stacked heels which required a different method of
construction, and from then right up till the early 19th century shoes
were made on a straight last, both shoes in a pair being identical.
With such shoes there would be no change if they were swapped around
(indeed British soldiers in the 18th century were required by
regulations to swap their shoes round every day, to ensure even wear
and thus make them last longer). Only in the mid-19th century, when
right- and left-foot lasts came into use, did it make a difference
which boot you wore on which foot. If the phrase originated at that
time (I don't know how old it is) that might be the origin; if it is
older, and dates from the time of straight-lasted shoes, I don't see
how it can be".
Bootleg: He has some bootleg liquor is a way of saying that the liquor
is illegal, has paid no tax. Why 'bootleg'? It was at first a literal
term. In the days when horsemen wore long boots, their bootlegs were
good places to hide things. The expression is first recorded in the US
(Nebraska) in 1889. By extension it came to mean any hidden goods,
especially alcohol. 'Bootlegger' came into use shortly after 'bootleg'.
Bottle: He's lost his bottle indicates that the "he" has lost his
nerve, but where the saying comes from is far from clear. It was
apparently unknown in the 18th and early 19th centuries. It may have
arisen from the prize fighting world since one of the seconds in bare
knuckle days was known as the "bottle man". He carried the water bottle
and the water revived many a prize fighter. Without the water and the
"bottle man" the fight would have ended, with associated allegations of
cowardice.
An alternative explanation brings the origin well into the 20th
century. It may be that rhyming slang is the basis. "Bottle and glass"
could mean "class" or "arse". In either instance the implication is
clear.
Boycott: To stage a boycott; i.e. to actively cease to support a person
or a cause, and to encourage others to join in. There's no doubt about
where this one comes from; it is directly derived from one Capt.
Boycott a landlord's agent in County Mayo, Ireland. After a series of
bad harvests the tenants were very poor. In spite of this Capped
Boycott refused to reduce the rents. He even ordered anybody in arrears
to be evicted. His servants walked out and people refused to work for
him. This attitude soon spread to the whole local community and he was
regarded as "the leper of old". In the end he fled back to England.
Brand: Brand new; this comes from the word "Brand", German for "fire" -
i.e. something fresh from the forge fire and thus absolutely new.
Brass: If someone's as bold as brass then are full of self assurance
even to the point of over confidence and arrogance. The saying surely
has the same basis as to brazen out something. The word "brass" has
many different meanings, such as a section of an orchestra, high
ranking officers or as money; however I can find no reason why it is
regarded as bold. The background here had defeated me, I'm afraid, but
Judith Kay of Brighouse, West Yorkshire wrote in March 2002 that she
thought she may have discovered an origin in 'Lock, Stock and Barrel'
published by Past Times, the Oxford-based mail order company. The
reference is to a London Magistrate, Brass Crosby. In the 1770s, it was
against the law for the proceedings of Parliament to be published, but
a London printer did just that and was brought before Brass Crosby. He
let the printer off, but was then arrested for treason. There was a
public outcry at this, and Brass was duly released; his bold stance
against authority led to the term being 'as bold as Brass'. However,
the term was in use nearly 200 years earlier, so this one can be ruled
out!
In March 2004 Ian Harling offered the following: "Is there another
possible origin of 'Bold as Brass'. Brass is, of course, slang for
prostitute, so could the saying have originally read, 'Bold AS a
brass?'".
It's most likely that the expression relates to the actual quality of
brass itself - trying, in some instances, to pretend that it's gold.
I leave the choice up to the reader.
He
has a brass neck implies that he's full of cheek; cock sure of himself.
The use of "brass" in this case has again beaten me. However, in June
2003, I had the following possibility sent to me by David McCallum:
"Whilst looking on your site, I came across the phrase 'brass neck' (a
favourite saying of my mother), but you said that the origin still
eludes you. I hope I may be able to help in that regard, although this
is only a theory of mine rather than gospel.
I remember as a child hearing a story about a highwayman who was
'strung up' - hoisted by the neck, rather than being dropped through a
scaffold, the difference being that one would choke rather than die by
broken neck. Anyway, this particular highwayman, before being strung
up, managed to swallow a brass tube with a bit of wire on top. This
lodged in his windpipe, and when he was strung up, his windpipe didn't
get crushed and he was still able to breathe. All he had to do was wait
for the crowd to disperse, and his accomplice cut him down and removed
the tube. This would certainly fit in with the idea of someone having a
'brass neck' and being very sure of themselves"
Brass
monkey: see Monkey
Break: To give someone a break meaning, now-a-days, to give someone a
chance. This goes back to the fact that a "break" was an interruption
in a street performer's act used to collect money from the crowd. The
term was taken up by the underworld where it came to mean the money
collected for a felon on release from prison - he was given a break.
There is possibly a somewhat different origin for the apparently
related saying "I've had a lucky break; in this instance it is likely
that billiards or snooker is the basis.
Breath: If someone has bated breath they are holding their breath with
suspense or fear. This use of bated is about the only example left in
the English language; abate is much more common. Both words come from
the Old French "abatre", to "beat down" or "fell". See Bat.
Brick: "You're a real brick" describes someone who is solid,
supportive, reliable. The analogy here is used because a brick has
these properties. The origin is said to go back to the King Lycurgus of
Sparta, who was questioned about the absence of defensive walls around
his city. 'There are Sparta's walls,' he replied, pointing at his
soldiers, 'and every man is a brick.'
