Get off the Dime
John Perkins
this,
the new team leader really got us off the dime in a hurry
Thanks in advance,
John
Martin Ambuhl
John Perkins wrote:
>
> I'm seeking the origins for the phrase "get off the dime." It's used like
> this,
>
> the new team leader really got us off the dime in a hurry
Chapman dates this to 1925 and claims it is an alteration of the
expression "stop on a dime", used to praise the brakes of a car.
Green date it as [1920s-1930s] and claims ir is from "the image of a
person being stuck on a small spot, i.e. one the size of a dime or
nickel coin".
These need not be contradictory.
--
Martin Ambuhl mam...@earthlink.net
What one knows is, in youth, of little moment; they know enough who
know how to learn. - Henry Adams
A thick skin is a gift from God. - Konrad Adenauer
__________________________________________________________
Fight spam now!
Get your free anti-spam service: http://www.brightmail.com
Gwen Lenker
<newroot...@wolfenet.com> wrote:
>I'm seeking the origins for the phrase "get off the dime." It's used like
>this,
>
> the new team leader really got us off the dime in a hurry
I'm going to be absolutely no help at all, but I'd like to add a
Part II to the question:
Is this expression related to "stops on a dime"?
Maria Conlon
Gwen Lenker wrote in message
>John Perkins wrote:
>
>>I'm seeking the origins for the phrase "get off the dime."
It's used like
>>this,
>>
>> the new team leader really got us off the dime in
a hurry
>I'm going to be absolutely no help at all, but I'd like to
add a
>Part II to the question:
>
>Is this expression related to "stops on a dime"?
No proof, but I think it is. "Stop(s) on a dime" means
coming to a full stop, usually quickly but surely. ("My '52
Buick would stop on a dime!") [1] "Get off the dime" means
"get going." So if you've stopped, fully, on the figurative
dime, it's necessary to "get off the dime" to get going.
If "get off the dime" comes from something else, the only
thing I can think of is a public phone. But I don't credit
this because the dime phrase was around when phone calls on
a public phone still cost a nickel.
Maria
[1] That's somewhat of a lie, of course. Not the '52 Buick
part, but the stopping ability of that car in 1960 when I
got it.
Donna Richoux
> John Perkins wrote:
> >
> > I'm seeking the origins for the phrase "get off the dime." It's used like
> > this,
> >
> > the new team leader really got us off the dime in a hurry
>
> Chapman dates this to 1925 and claims it is an alteration of the
> expression "stop on a dime", used to praise the brakes of a car.
>
> Green date it as [1920s-1930s] and claims ir is from "the image of a
> person being stuck on a small spot, i.e. one the size of a dime or
> nickel coin".
>
> These need not be contradictory.
RHHDAS says:
get off the dime
1. to move from a stationary position -- used esp. of dancers in a
dancehall. 1925 Van Vechten /Nigger Heaven/ Sometimes a [dancing]
couple... would scarcely move from one spot. Then the floor manager
would cry, Git off dat dime! 1931 Cressey /Taxi-Dance Hall/ "Get off
that dime," good-naturedly shouts a taxi-dancer to a girl chum and her
over-zealous patron. [1945 citation, also about black dancers]
2. to take action after a period of indecision or procrastination; to
act [Citations from 1926 to 1985.]
--
Best --- Donna Richoux
John Perkins
tr...@euronet.nl writes:
>RHHDAS says:
>
>get off the dime...
Thanks, Donna, and what does RHHDAS mean?
John
Donna Richoux
Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang, an excellent
series, except that only Volumes One and Two are published. So don't ask
about anything starting with P through Z.