where did the saying "as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs" come from?
958145
Rocking chairs rock back and forth. Cats have long tails. It would be painful for a cat's tail to be caught under the rockers of a rocking chair.\n\nUndoubtedly invented by someone who thought they were very clever and witty. I know it was used in the 1960's for sure, and suspect it dates back to at least 1930.
712350
From what I've seen, it's the name of an article by Connie Schultz.  It came from what a woman said once she was interviewing.\n\nHere's where I got the information...\n\nhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/connie-schultz/fearless-politics-speak-_b_28706.html
1057945
It means your like cheese.\nThat and your cat is gay.
1067579
Interesting question that others have been pondering on as I see.\nHere's a link that takes the expression back to at least 1946 when used as the title of a book about psychiatric problems provoked in troops in wartime (a topical subject)\nhttp://www.tomfolio.com/bookdetailssu.asp?b=7070&m=106\nSmokey Stover thought on this forum that it dated back to 1940\nhttp://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/46/messages/1021.html\nSomeone elso gives the authorship to Robert Owen, the 18th century textile owner and philanthropist which certainly predates the others http://www.giga-usa.com/quotes/authors/robert_owen_a001.htm\n\nHow am I doing?
533165
Not quite sure about this but I think the phrase may have been coined by William Burroughs. Originally referring to someone with a heroin addiction. Not sure about the monkey image either but I'd guess that if you had a monkey jump on you, it would dig its claws into your back and be quite difficult to remove (like an addiction)...of course this is all a random guess.
1165900
Just as a turtle's head appears from its shell,\nSo too must a turd appear from the buttocks.\n\nThis phrase was popularized in Austin Powers II, when Fat Bastard said he was "turtleheading."
154108
Hi there,\n\nIt is called a scarecrow.\n\nEtymology:\n\nc.1200, from O.N. skirra "to frighten," related to skjarr "timid, shy," of unknown origin. The noun is attested from 1530. To scare up "procure, obtain" is first recorded 1846, Amer.Eng., from notion of rousing game from cover. Scarecrow first recorded 1553, earliest ref. is to a person employed to scare birds. Stick-figure sense is implied by 1589. Scary is first recorded 1582; scaremonger is from 1888. To scare up "find, produce" is 1853, from the notion of hunters rousing game Scared stiff first recorded 1900; scared shitless is from 1936. Scaredy-cat "timid person" first attested 1933, in Dorothy Parker. \n\nrule wid style n luv@vinny
249209
this is a perfect one for me...i say that all the time..you usually say it when someones freaking out or there being annoying and you just wanna yell chill out!!! well dont have a cow means like they were so freaked out it was like there haveing a cow
366515
It came from a song in Mary Poppins about a boy who was afraid to speak and then he discovered this wonderful word.\n\n"If you say it loud enough you'll always sound precocious!"\n\nThe meaning is just super or superb. But it's a cool word. :)
624846
I have a reference from 1997 that already says it is old:\nhttp://www.pbs.org/newshour/forum/august97/terror01.html\n\nThe fact that numerous sources fail to give the original source of the quote suggests that no-one actually knows when it was first used.
527912
The phrase "the bee's knees", meaning "the height of excellence", became popular in the U.S. in the 1920s, along with "the cat's whiskers" (possibly from the use of these in radio crystal sets), "the cat's pajamas" (pajamas were still new enough to be daring), and similar phrases which made less sense and didn't endure: "the eel's ankle", "the elephant's instep", "the snake's hip". Stories in circulation about the phrase's origin include: "b's and e's", short for "be-alls and end-alls"; and a corruption of "business": "it's the beezness".
206176
its an expression. when you have secrets they are called skeltons in the closet. so when you tell your secret you are lettin them out of the closet
260376
It is a symptom of mental illness. It is a self soothing act. If a person is unable to soothe themselves in a normal way they resort to this form. It is often a result of a neglected childhood or abuse as a child. Many people who do this, may not be aware of it, or admit to the problems. Many will deny they have problems, becuase they are already insecure. In severe cases, the person will actually get in a fetal position if the rocking does not relieve their inner insecurity.
195641
The idiom is apparently derived from a centuries-old Scottish proverb, though some other references to pigs flying or pigs with wings are more famous. Here is one such reference from Lewis Carroll:\n\n"Thinking again?" the Duchess asked, with another dig of her sharp little chin.\n"I've a right to think," said Alice sharply, for she was beginning to feel a little worried.\n"Just about as much right," said the Duchess, "as pigs have to fly...." — Alice in Wonderland, chapter 9.
21646
BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE -- From "Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings" (1996): "Between a rock and a hard place. Forced to choose between two unpleasant options. The expression originated in the early twentieth century in the United States. It usually follows 'to be caught'." \n\nThe "Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins" by Robert Hendrickson (Fact on File, New York, 1997) says "the expression was probably born in Arizona during a financial panic early in this century."
965439
"We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence upon those that would do us harm." George Orwell  speaking of solders.\nAlso I love this one it is from Finding Foresster, "I'll take poor assumtions for 800 Alex."
650259
When I was about 12 I was an EXTREMELY nervous kid and afraid of my own shadow. I was so meek and condescending that one time I was walking out of my bedroom, bumped into my dresser, turned around and said "Excuse me" to my dresser. To this day, I shake my head at that... But those days are OVER! Get the fcuk out of my way!