Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-08-18
Origin Of Words and Phrases.

We have selected from the amusing pa
ges of Arvlne's Cyclopedia, the following
plausible examples under this title:
W1NDFALL.-The origin of this term IS
said to be the following:
Some of the nobility of England, by ten-
ure of their estate, were forbidden telling
any of the trees in the forest upon them,
the timber being reserved for the use OF the
royal navy. Such trees as fell without cut
ting were the property of the occupant. A
tornado, therefore, was perfect god-send-
in every sense of the term, and the wind,
fall was something of very great value.
RoBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL.-ln the
time of Edward vi much of the lands OF
| st. Peter, at Westminster, were seized by
his maiesty's ministers, but in order to re-
concile the people to that robbery, they al
lowed portion of the lands to be appropri-
ated towards the repairs of St. Paul's
church; hence the phrase "rcbbing Peter
to pay Paul"
HES CAUGHT A TARTAR.-In some bat
tie between the Russians and the Tartars,
who are wild sort of people, in the north
| Of Asia, private soldier called out, cap
tain, halloo there I've caught Tartar -
"Fetch him along then !" said the Cap
tain.
cay, but he won't let me- said the man;
and the fact was the Tartar had caught him.
So when man thinks to take another in,
and gets bit himself, they say, "He's caught
Tartar"
| BANKRUPT.-Few words have so remark
able history as the familiar word bank
rupt. The money changers of Italy had, 1t
is said, benches or stalls, in the bourse or
exchange, in former times, and at these they
conducted their ordinary business. When
any of them fell back in the world, and be-
came insolvent, his bench was broken, and
the name of broken bench, or bunco rolio,
was given to him. When the word was "a
dopted into English, it was nearer the Ital-
ian than it now is, ''pankeroute," instead
of bankrupt.
HE! BETTY MARrIN.-Many ofour most
popular vulgarisms have their origin in
some whimsical perversions of language or
of fact. st. Martin is one, of the worthless
of the Roman calender, and form of prayer
commences with the words, 80, mihi beote
MARITIME )" which was corrupted to "My
eye, and Betty Martini" and then still fur
ther to 'Hie Betty Martin"
ROLAND FOR AN OLIvER.-Although no
phrase is in more common use, yet few are
acquainted with its origin. The expression
signifies the giving of an equivalent. Ro-
land and Oliver were two knights famous in
romance. The wonderful achievements of
the one could only be equalled by those of
the other. Hence the phrase "Roland for
an Oliver"
MIND YOUR P's AND Qs.-The origin of
this phrase is said to have been call of at
tention in the old English ale houses to the
piats and quarts being scored down to the
unconscious or reckless beer-blbber.
HoBsoN's CHoIcE.-The expression Hob
sons choice is proverbial both in Europe
and America. The story of ITS origin is as
follows:
Thomas Hobson was celebrated carrier
at Cambridge, England, who, to his en-
ployment in that capacity, added the pro-
fession of supplying the students with
horses. In doing this, he made it an unal-
terable rule that every horse should have
an equal portion of time in which to rest, as
we'll as labor; and he always refused to let
horse out of his turn. Hence the saying,
"Hobson's choice this or none.'