what's the source of the phrase "get off the dime"?
Esmerelda Duffenduck
Mark Wallace
> Are there any old English majors who know the answer? Thanks!
Hmmm. 'Mark Wallace' is a Lt. Cdr. in the RN, which is probably why
he doesn't know. Those army chaps have got their own language.
--
Mark Wallace
-----------------------------------------------------
For the intelligent approach to nasty humour, visit:
The Anglo-American Humour (humor) Site
http://humorpages.virtualave.net/mainmenu.htm
-----------------------------------------------------
John Flynn
> Are there any old English majors who know the answer?
> Thanks!
There's an entry in _Cassell's Dictionary of Slang_ (Jonathon Green,
Cassell & Co, ISBN 0-304-35167-9) that reads:
"*get off the dime/nicel, to* _phr._ [1920s-30s] [US]
1 to leave, to run off 2 to move from a stationary position,
esp. a dancer. [the image of a person being stuck on a small spot,
i.e. one the size of a _dime_ or _nickel_ coin]"
No definite source mentioned, though.
--
johnF
Lisa Lundgren
> Are there any old English majors who know the answer? Thanks!
Robert Chapman, in *American Slang* says that it's an "alteration of
the expression _stop on a dime_, used to praise the brakes of a car."
Lisa Lundgren
Mark Wallace
So it means to get moving?
I confess I've never heard it, before. US 'dime' expressions
normally involve telephones.
Charles Riggs
<mwallac...@noknok.nl> wrote:
>Esmerelda Duffenduck wrote:
>
>> Are there any old English majors who know the answer? Thanks!
>
>Hmmm. 'Mark Wallace' is a Lt. Cdr. in the RN, which is probably why
>he doesn't know. Those army chaps have got their own language.
So does the Navy. I'd abbreviate it Lt Cmdr, the way I've always seen
it, although my dictionary finds your usage acceptable, I'll admit.
The two periods, even in America, are unnecessary, and unfashionable,
in the standard version.
--
Charles Riggs
Mark Wallace
"Charles Riggs" <chr...@eircom.net> wrote in message
news:vo11gugq8cunsbjm3...@4ax.com...
What is this? A campaign?
Have I got a monkey on my back?
You'll admit it's 'acceptable'?
But it's in your dictionary, so it's not 'acceptable', it's
*correct*!
So is 'Comdr'.
How would you abbreviate 'Commodore'? There are several ways, one
of which is 'Cmdr'.
Full-points at the end of abbreviated, contracted, or initialised
terms are not exclusive to the States (I'm not even going to go into
the impreciseness of the word 'America'), despite what a few people
might have said in this group. It is only for organisations or
institutions that the full-points are skipped, in English. All
other contractions get them (or should -- but some people are lazy,
and sometimes it looks ugly).
Skip a few minutes of unwarranted nit-picking and re-punctuate or
re-cast your last sentence, willya?
Oh, and the way you write it is not 'the standard version'; it's
just 'the way you write it'.
Don't go talking like Eric; you don't want to be tarred with his
brush.
Richard R. Hershberger
> Lisa Lundgren wrote:
> >> lemonh...@hotmail.com (Esmerelda Duffenduck) wrote in
> >> message
> >> >news:<ef2ab36d.02060...@posting.google.com>... Are
>
> >> there any old English majors who know the answer? Thanks!
> >
> > Robert Chapman, in *American Slang* says that it's an "alteration
> > of the expression _stop on a dime_, used to praise the brakes of
> > a car."
>
> So it means to get moving?
> I confess I've never heard it, before. US 'dime' expressions
> normally involve telephones.
Some do, but others derived from the fact that the dime is the
physically smallest US coin. In addition to "stop on a dime" there is
"turn on a dime". Both have the sense that the action occurs in a
very small space.
Richard R. Hershberger
Harvey V
Hershberger) wrote:
> "Mark Wallace" <mwallac...@noknok.nl> wrote
>> Lisa Lundgren wrote:
>>> Robert Chapman, in *American Slang* says that it's an
>>> "alteration of the expression _stop on a dime_, used to praise
>>> the brakes of a car."
>>
>> So it means to get moving?
>> I confess I've never heard it, before. US 'dime' expressions
>> normally involve telephones.
>
> Some do, but others derived from the fact that the dime is the
> physically smallest US coin. In addition to "stop on a dime"
> there is "turn on a dime". Both have the sense that the action
> occurs in a very small space.
I've not looked up the Chapman reference, but I surprised that the
source of "stop on a dime" is linked to praising the brakes of a car.
I would have expected it to pre-date cars -- perhaps referring to
bicycles or something.
(Bill Cosby line in a 1960s' routine about new sneakers: "I can run
real fast; stop on a dime -- I give ya' nine cents' change -- ".)
--
Cheers,
Harvey
Lisa Lundgren
> >> lemonh...@hotmail.com (Esmerelda Duffenduck) wrote in
> >> message
> >> >news:<ef2ab36d.02060...@posting.google.com>... Are
>
> >> there any old English majors who know the answer? Thanks!
> >
> > Robert Chapman, in *American Slang* says that it's an "alteration
> > of the expression _stop on a dime_, used to praise the brakes of
> > a car."
>
> So it means to get moving?
> I confess I've never heard it, before. US 'dime' expressions
> normally involve telephones.
Only as a stepping stone from "It's your nickel" to the current cost
of a pay-phone call, which is 50 cents (I think).
Lisa Lundgren
masakim
Lisa Lundgren wrote:
>
>Esmerelda Duffenduck wrote:
>
> Are there any old English majors who know the answer? Thanks!
>
>> Robert Chapman, in *American Slang* says that it's an "alteration
>> of the expression _stop on a dime_, used to praise the brakes of
>> a car."
Christine Ammer, in _The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms_
(1997), says:
get off the dime
Take action, especially following a time of indecision or delay. For
example, "It's time this administration got off the dime and came up
with a viable budget." This expression originated in the 1920s in
dance-halls as an imperative for dancers to get moving. By 1926 it had
been extended to other activities.
---------------------
BTW, Robert Chapman says:
stop on a dime v phr by 1964 To stop quickly and neatly: "The car
corners smoothly and stops on a dime."
---------------------
Sometimes a ... couple ... would scarcely move from one spot. Then the
floor manager would cry, Git off dat dime! (Van Vechten, _Nigger
Heaven_, 1925)
"Get off that dime," good-naturedly shouts a taxi-dancer to a girl
chum and her over-zealous patron. (Cressey, _Taxi-Dance Hall_, 1931)
Well, somebody in this goddam Gover'ment better get the hell off the
dime. Doc's suit ain't gonna hold out much longer. (D.P. Wilson, _6
Convicts_, 1851)
Regards,
masakim
Charles Riggs
Lundgren) wrote:
That's the only one referring to phones I can think of, too. It's hard
to figure out what Mark was on about. I think he may be needing an
American Airlines ticket for Christmas.
--
Charles Riggs
Charles Riggs
<mwallac...@noknok.nl> wrote:
>
>"Charles Riggs" <chr...@eircom.net> wrote in message
>news:vo11gugq8cunsbjm3...@4ax.com...
>> On Thu, 6 Jun 2002 20:51:29 +0200, "Mark Wallace"
>> <mwallac...@noknok.nl> wrote:
>>
>> >Esmerelda Duffenduck wrote:
>> >
>> >> Are there any old English majors who know the answer? Thanks!
>> >
>> >Hmmm. 'Mark Wallace' is a Lt. Cdr. in the RN, which is probably
>why
>> >he doesn't know. Those army chaps have got their own language.
>>
>> So does the Navy. I'd abbreviate it Lt Cmdr, the way I've always
>seen
>> it, although my dictionary finds your usage acceptable, I'll
>admit.
>> The two periods, even in America, are unnecessary, and
>unfashionable,
>> in the standard version.
>
>What is this? A campaign?
>Have I got a monkey on my back?
Yes, and it's name is alt.english.usage. Unless, that is, you were
referring to things you ought not to be doing. Some say, anyway.
>You'll admit it's 'acceptable'?
>But it's in your dictionary, so it's not 'acceptable', it's
>*correct*!
Oh? "Alright" is in my dictionary. Is it correct?
>So is 'Comdr'.
Not in America and not in any book I've read about the British navy.
>How would you abbreviate 'Commodore'?
I've never had too since we don't have such an animal, but if I were
asked, in seriousness, to do so, I think I wouldn't abbreviate it: it
looks fine to me the way it is.
> There are several ways, one
>of which is 'Cmdr'.
Can you cite a reference supporting this wild-eyed theory? I stopped
looking after consulting five of them, which all said "No way!", not
listing a definition at all being one of their ways of saying this.
Cmdr is a shortened version of Commander, as all right-minded people
know.
>Full-points at the end of abbreviated, contracted, or initialised
>terms are not exclusive to the States (I'm not even going to go into
>the impreciseness of the word 'America'), despite what a few people
>might have said in this group. It is only for organisations or
>institutions that the full-points are skipped, in English. All
>other contractions get them (or should -- but some people are lazy,
>and sometimes it looks ugly).
You've told us many times you write words in any way that pleases you,
or was punctuation not included in your prescriptions?
>Skip a few minutes of unwarranted nit-picking and re-punctuate or
>re-cast your last sentence, willya?
Re-punctuate is quite fine, but re-cast is spelled recast.
>Oh, and the way you write it is not 'the standard version'; it's
>just 'the way you write it'.
Yeah, sure, Commander: me, my uncle, and the rest of the civilized,
God-fearing, world that writes English.
>Don't go talking like Eric; you don't want to be tarred with his
>brush.
Use of "go talking" is informal, even colloquial, but acceptable among
friends; "like Eric" is better written "as Eric does" ("Winston tastes
good like a cigarette should", notwithstanding); and that last should
be, of course, "tarred with the same brush". It wasn't Eric who did
the tarring.
--
Charles Riggs
Charles Riggs
<mwallac...@noknok.nl> wrote:
>Lisa Lundgren wrote:
>>> lemonh...@hotmail.com (Esmerelda Duffenduck) wrote in
>>> message
>>> >news:<ef2ab36d.02060...@posting.google.com>... Are
>
>>> there any old English majors who know the answer? Thanks!
>>
>> Robert Chapman, in *American Slang* says that it's an "alteration
>> of the expression _stop on a dime_, used to praise the brakes of
>> a car."
>
>So it means to get moving?
>I confess I've never heard it, before. US 'dime' expressions
>normally involve telephones.
Hardly. A number were around well before pay telephones:
A dime a dozen,
Five-and-dime store,
Stop on a dime,
A dime-a-dance saloon girl,
Get off the dime, and
Brother, can you spare a dime is a cliché, it's been repeated so
often.
These were, in two minutes, off the top of my head. I'm sure there are
a number more. You need to be, nearly so, an American to appreciate
the richness and variety of our brand of English, since they have
lived with it day to day. Our vocabulary has made the greatest
contribution to the word store of modern English, compared with any of
the lesser ["size" meaning] contributors, and we have a hundred ways
of saying the same thing, only with slightly different nuances of
meaning. You can have the soap box now.
--
Charles Riggs
Mark Wallace
<snip>
Find another hobby, Charles; this one's becoming tiresome.
John Dawkins
Charles Riggs <chr...@eircom.net> wrote:
To 'drop a dime" on someone is to rat them out to the cops.
--
J.
Odysseus
>
> Can you cite a reference supporting this wild-eyed theory? I stopped
> looking after consulting five of them, which all said "No way!", not
> listing a definition at all being one of their ways of saying this.
> Cmdr is a shortened version of Commander, as all right-minded people
> know.
>
<http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/allhands/ranks/officers/o-rank.html>,
the official abbreviation for a US Navy commander is "CDR". The rank of
commodore seems to have been in use only intermittently; it corresponds
to the present O-7, "Rear Admiral (lower half)", abbreviated "RDML".
I've been having problems accessing parts of the WWW today, so couldn't
find a similar page for the Royal Navy. The Canadian Forces appear to
use "Cdr" as a standard abbreviation for commander and "Cmdre" for commodore.
--Odysseus
Mark Wallace
'Comm' is also common for Commodore, in the UK. Inserting an 'm' in
'Cdr' would have been asking for confusion, in the steam-radio days.
Charles is just looking hard for things to complain about in my
postings, for whatever reason. I shouldn't pay too much attention.
meirman
<chr...@eircom.net> posted:
Whose fashion? The standard version of what?
s/ meirman If you are emailing me please
say if you are posting the same response.
Born west of Pittsburgh Pa. 10 years
Indianapolis, 7 years
Chicago, 6 years
Brooklyn NY 12 years
Baltimore 17 years
Tony Cooper
were around well before pay telephones:
>
> A dime a dozen,
> Five-and-dime store,
> Stop on a dime,
> A dime-a-dance saloon girl,
> Get off the dime, and
> Brother, can you spare a dime is a cliché, it's been repeated so
> often.
You're a bit off, Charles. The first pay telephone was installed in
1878. By 1902. there were 81,00 pay telephones installed. Several of
your categories above came far after the pay telephone. "Brother, can
you spare a dime" is from the Great Depression. Dime-a-dance girls
weren't saloon girls at all. Taxi dancers were the big thing in the
30s.
--
Tony Cooper aka: Tony_Co...@Yahoo.com
Provider of Jots & Tittles
Charles Riggs
<mwallac...@noknok.nl> wrote:
>Charles Riggs wrote:
>
><snip>
>
>Find another hobby, Charles; this one's becoming tiresome.
If you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen, Mark.
You're not the God of Writing you think you are, so you should be
willing, and even happy, to accept constructive criticism when you
err. However, I've now given up on that mode of polite address with
you, since you're obviously too thick-headed to listen to anyone.
--
Charles Riggs
Charles Riggs
wrote:
>Charles Riggs wrote:
>>
>> Can you cite a reference supporting this wild-eyed theory? I stopped
>> looking after consulting five of them, which all said "No way!", not
>> listing a definition at all being one of their ways of saying this.
>> Cmdr is a shortened version of Commander, as all right-minded people
>> know.
>>
>According to
>
><http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/allhands/ranks/officers/o-rank.html>,
>the official abbreviation for a US Navy commander is "CDR". The rank of
>commodore seems to have been in use only intermittently;
Yes. I don't believe the rank of Commodore is in use today; at least
I've never run into one of them. Too bad: it has a nice ring to it.
>it corresponds
>to the present O-7, "Rear Admiral (lower half)", abbreviated "RDML".
That would be RADM, in the US Navy anyway.
>I've been having problems accessing parts of the WWW today, so couldn't
>find a similar page for the Royal Navy. The Canadian Forces appear to
>use "Cdr" as a standard abbreviation for commander and "Cmdre" for commodore.
The US Navy uses both Cdr and Cmdr as abbreviations for Commander --
the mix is about fifty-fifty; the Royal Navy appears to favour Cdr,
although Google did show 1020 sites when searching for "Royal Navy"
logically anded with "Cmdr"; 2800 for "Cdr".
The Naval Sea Systems Command, which I worked across from when I
worked for the Naval Electronic Systems Command, seems to prefer Cmdr;
the Chief of Naval Operations uses both.
Mark's contention that Cmdr is an abbreviation for Commodore is wrong
in any navy, and he seems unable to discuss abbreviations for
Commander in the USN and the Royal Navy without getting upset, as he
makes his pronouncements with his usual mix of fact and fiction, so
it's good to see, in your post, someone discussing the topic
rationally.
I was rather surprised to find, after 20 minutes on the Web, that the
official stand of both navies doesn't pin down the standard
abbreviations for Commander and Lieutenant Commander.
--
Charles Riggs
Charles Riggs
<mwallac...@noknok.nl> wrote:
>Charles is just looking hard for things to complain about in my
>postings,
Substantive errors in your posts abound, so it isn't true I'm looking
hard. I make errors too; the difference is I admit them when they are
pointed out to me.
>for whatever reason. I shouldn't pay too much attention.
Since you pay no attention to dictionary definitions or to what others
in the group say about word definitions, this stand is not surprising.
You seem uninterested in learning anything new, making you an ignorant
fool who, like most fools, doesn't seem to know it, or care.
--
Charles Riggs
Charles Riggs
What I should have said was that most dime expressions are unrelated
to pay telephones. That was where Mark went wrong. Me, I should have
addressed usage directly, rather bring history into it.
--
Charles Riggs
Mark Wallace
> On Sat, 8 Jun 2002 17:49:24 +0200, "Mark Wallace"
> <mwallac...@noknok.nl> wrote:
>
>> Charles Riggs wrote:
>>
>> <snip>
>>
>> Find another hobby, Charles; this one's becoming tiresome.
>
> If you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen, Mark.
>
> You're not the God of Writing you think you are,
Where the Hell do you get that from? I write, yes, but I constantly
play down the idea that being a writer is anything special, because
I don't believe it is. It's just what I do.
> so you should be
> willing, and even happy, to accept constructive criticism when you
> err. However, I've now given up on that mode of polite address
> with you, since you're obviously too thick-headed to listen to
> anyone.
That statement would be all very well, had you pointed out any
errors, or had I asked for critique of my Usenet postings.
Your behaviour has been shameful, considering that I offered to give
up some of my time -- and I have precious little of it to spare --
to help you out.
Mark Wallace
So your *correction* of my *error* was completely wrong, then. And
your use of such statements as:
"I stopped looking after consulting five of them, which all said "No
way!", not listing a definition at all being one of their ways of
saying this. Cmdr is a shortened version of Commander, as all
right-minded people
know."
To *prove* that my use of 'Cdr' was erroneous was nothing more than
an insane rant.
Let's see if we can find an appropriate quote from me, on the
subject:
"Oh, and the way you write it is not 'the standard version'; it's
just 'the way you write it'."
> The Naval Sea Systems Command, which I worked across from when I
> worked for the Naval Electronic Systems Command, seems to prefer
> Cmdr; the Chief of Naval Operations uses both.
Golly, that sounds almost like you're repeating my statement,
doesn't it?
Can we spell 'U-turn', Children?
> Mark's contention that Cmdr is an abbreviation for Commodore is
> wrong in any navy, and he seems unable to discuss abbreviations
> for Commander in the USN and the Royal Navy without getting
> upset, as he makes his pronouncements with his usual mix of fact
> and fiction, so it's good to see, in your post, someone
> discussing the topic rationally.
And you are just as wrong-headed with this one, Charles.
I'm seriously beginning to worry about your mental state. The only
person demonstrating any over-emotional behaviour has been you.
Mark Wallace
You quoted six 'expressions', three of which Tony has shown not to
be 'expressions'.
Now quote all the expressions involving the word 'dime' which *do*
concern the telephone.
John's already given you one -- to 'drop a dime on'. If there are
less than two more, then my statement was erroneous.
Unfortunately, there aren't less than two more. There are several
more, hailing from movies, etc.
Odysseus
>
> >> Can you cite a reference supporting this wild-eyed theory? I stopped
> >> looking after consulting five of them, which all said "No way!", not
> >> listing a definition at all being one of their ways of saying this.
> >> Cmdr is a shortened version of Commander, as all right-minded people
> >> know.
> >>
> >According to
> >
> ><http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/allhands/ranks/officers/o-rank.html>,
> >the official abbreviation for a US Navy commander is "CDR". The rank of
> >commodore seems to have been in use only intermittently;
>
> Yes. I don't believe the rank of Commodore is in use today; at least
> I've never run into one of them. Too bad: it has a nice ring to it.
>
> >it corresponds
> >to the present O-7, "Rear Admiral (lower half)", abbreviated "RDML".
>
> That would be RADM, in the US Navy anyway.
>
there the abbreviation for "Rear Admiral (upper half)", grade O-8.
--Odysseus
Charles Riggs
<mwallace...@dse.nl> wrote:
>Charles Riggs wrote:
>> The US Navy uses both Cdr and Cmdr as abbreviations for Commander
>> -- the mix is about fifty-fifty; the Royal Navy appears to favour
>> Cdr, although Google did show 1020 sites when searching for
>> "Royal Navy" logically anded with "Cmdr"; 2800 for "Cdr".
>
>So your *correction* of my *error* was completely wrong, then. And
>your use of such statements as:
>"I stopped looking after consulting five of them, which all said "No
>way!", not listing a definition at all being one of their ways of
>saying this. Cmdr is a shortened version of Commander, as all
>right-minded people
>know."
>To *prove* that my use of 'Cdr' was erroneous was nothing more than
>an insane rant.
In addition to being unable to admit errors, as the series on hanging
vs hung had already shown, you have reading difficulties as well. You
stated that Cmdr was an abbreviation for Commodore, which is dead
wrong, as I informed you: politely the first time, but I lose patience
with children, especially those over the age of sixteen, so I can now
only demonstrate the well-deserved contempt I have for you, and will
continue to do so until I settle you into my killfile.
--
Charles Riggs
Charles Riggs
wrote:
Okay. I wasn't recognizing the distinction. I don't recall seeing RDML
in print before, but if you say so... You'll accept VADM, I assume.
--
Charles Riggs
Charles Riggs
<mwallace...@dse.nl> wrote:
>Your behaviour has been shameful, considering that I offered to give
>up some of my time -- and I have precious little of it to spare --
>to help you out.
If I needed to be "helped out", which I don't, you'd be one of the
very last people on earth I'd consider capable of doing so. What a
self-inflated jackass you are: "help you out", your "precious time",
indeed. Furthermore, you lie when you say your time is precious; if it
were, you wouldn't spend so much of it here, wasting your time as well
as your readers, writing numerous lines of trivia, silly remarks only
you think are cute, together with outright falsehoods.
--
Charles Riggs
Mark Wallace
> On Sun, 9 Jun 2002 21:09:05 +0200, "Mark Wallace"
> <mwallace...@dse.nl> wrote:
>
>
>
>> Your behaviour has been shameful, considering that I offered to
>> give up some of my time -- and I have precious little of it to
>> spare -- to help you out.
>
> If I needed to be "helped out", which I don't, you'd be one of the
> very last people on earth I'd consider capable of doing so.
Which is why you e-mailed me, asking for advice, I presume.
Forget it, Charles. I don't know what bee has got itself into your
bonnet, or why you should behave so trollishly, when I've done
nothing but try to help you, but neither do I care.
If this is the kind of paranoiac primma donna-ism I can expect from
you, then I just won't bother.
It's no loss to me.
John Dawkins
"Mark Wallace" <mwallace...@dse.nl> wrote:
Actually, all six are "expressions"; Mr. Cooper was not calling
their expressionness into question. The first, second, third, and fifth
are still in use by those of us of a certain age. "Dime-a-dance girl"
probably didn't survive the '40s and, as Mr. Riggs indicates, the lyric
snip "Brother, can you spare a dime" is now a cliche.
--
J.
Mark Wallace
> On Sun, 9 Jun 2002 21:19:19 +0200, "Mark Wallace"
> <mwallace...@dse.nl> wrote:
>
>> Charles Riggs wrote:
>
>>> The US Navy uses both Cdr and Cmdr as abbreviations for
>>> Commander -- the mix is about fifty-fifty; the Royal Navy
>>> appears to favour Cdr, although Google did show 1020 sites when
>>> searching for "Royal Navy" logically anded with "Cmdr"; 2800
>>> for "Cdr".
>>
>> So your *correction* of my *error* was completely wrong, then.
>> And your use of such statements as:
>> "I stopped looking after consulting five of them, which all said
>> "No way!", not listing a definition at all being one of their
>> ways of saying this. Cmdr is a shortened version of Commander,
>> as all right-minded people
>> know."
>> To *prove* that my use of 'Cdr' was erroneous was nothing more
>> than an insane rant.
>
> In addition to being unable to admit errors, as the series on
> hanging vs hung had already shown, you have reading difficulties
> as well. You stated that Cmdr was an abbreviation for Commodore,
> which is dead wrong, as I informed you: politely the first time,
Quoting:
I wrote:
>Hmmm. 'Mark Wallace' is a Lt. Cdr. in the RN, which is probably
why
>he doesn't know. Those army chaps have got their own language.
Charles Riggs wrote:
So does the Navy. I'd abbreviate it Lt Cmdr, the way I've always
seen
it, although my dictionary finds your usage acceptable, I'll admit.
The two periods, even in America, are unnecessary, and
unfashionable,
in the standard version.
Just admit you were wrong, Charles. Stop being such a baby.
Mark Wallace
"John Dawkins" <artfl...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:artfldodgr-5AC87...@news.fu-berlin.de...
Where, exactly, and under what circumstances would the average
person use the quote 'Brother, can you spare a dime"? It's hardly
something that one can drop into normal conversation, except as a
quotation.
Nor is 'dime a dance' girl an expression; it was a dime a dance
girl; and a 'five and dime store' isn't an expression, either, it's
a five and dime store; a class of shop. They're both nouns,
describing objects which either exist or did exist.
That leaves the score at three non-telephone expressions to one
telephone expression ('drop a dime').
Given that there are obviously and absolutely no other expressions
using the word 'dime', which relate to the use of the telephone,
used in US conversation: I was equally obviously and absolutely
wrong in my observation.
Happy?
John Dawkins
"Mark Wallace" <mwallace...@dse.nl> wrote:
These days it's "Buddy, can you spare a buck?"
> Nor is 'dime a dance' girl an expression; it was a dime a dance
> girl; and a 'five and dime store' isn't an expression, either, it's
> a five and dime store; a class of shop. They're both nouns,
> describing objects which either exist or did exist.
Sorry, I hadn't realized you were quibbling over the meaning of
"expression", which MW opines is a "significant word or phrase" and the
OED a "word, phrase, or form of speech."
> That leaves the score at three non-telephone expressions to one
> telephone expression ('drop a dime').
There is also this favorite of waitresses, speaking of disagreeable
customers: "I'm going to nickel-and-dime that bastard to death".
> Given that there are obviously and absolutely no other expressions
> using the word 'dime', which relate to the use of the telephone,
> used in US conversation: I was equally obviously and absolutely
> wrong in my observation.
Hey, it's your dime.
--
J.
Mark Wallace
I'm English. I haven't got a dime to rub together.
John Dawkins
"Mark Wallace" <mwallace...@dse.nl> wrote:
> John Dawkins wrote:
> > In article <ae2jg2$3ev2h$1...@ID-51325.news.dfncis.de>,
> > "Mark Wallace" <mwallace...@dse.nl> wrote:
>
> >> Given that there are obviously and absolutely no other
> >> expressions using the word 'dime', which relate to the use of
> >> the telephone, used in US conversation: I was equally obviously
> >> and absolutely wrong in my observation.
> >
> > Hey, it's your dime.
>
> I'm English. I haven't got a dime to rub together.
You could write a dime novel.
--
J.
Lisa Lundgren
>
> You quoted six 'expressions', three of which Tony has shown not to
> be 'expressions'.
> Now quote all the expressions involving the word 'dime' which *do*
> concern the telephone.
>
> John's already given you one -- to 'drop a dime on'. If there are
> less than two more, then my statement was erroneous.
> Unfortunately, there aren't less than two more. There are several
> more, hailing from movies, etc.
There are probably many more "dime" expressions that have nothing to
do with the telephone. Some that come to mind:
Nickel and dime
I haven't got a dime
He lost his last dime
Now it might be asserted that, had the cost of a phone call been other
than ten cents for the length of time that it was ten cents, that
idiom would have been affected. In other words, we could imagine that
the cost of a phone call was the barest necessity that set the
standard reflected by expressions that appear to have nothing to do
with a phone call. I don't know. For how long was the cost of a call 5
cents? For how long was it ten cents? When did these expressions
appear?
Lisa Lundgren
Odysseus
>
> Okay. I wasn't recognizing the distinction. I don't recall seeing RDML
> in print before, but if you say so... You'll accept VADM, I assume.
That's certainly what the chart has for grade O-9, Vice Admiral.
--Odysseus
Mark Wallace
> In article <ae2pqb$3etqq$1...@ID-51325.news.dfncis.de>,
> "Mark Wallace" <mwallace...@dse.nl> wrote:
>
>> John Dawkins wrote:
>>> In article <ae2jg2$3ev2h$1...@ID-51325.news.dfncis.de>,
>>> "Mark Wallace" <mwallace...@dse.nl> wrote:
>>
>>>> Given that there are obviously and absolutely no other
>>>> expressions using the word 'dime', which relate to the use of
>>>> the telephone, used in US conversation: I was equally obviously
>>>> and absolutely wrong in my observation.
>>>
>>> Hey, it's your dime.
>>
>> I'm English. I haven't got a dime to rub together.
>
> You could write a dime novel.
I'm not sure I could spare the di---Time.
Charles Riggs
<mwallace...@dse.nl> wrote:
>Charles Riggs wrote:
>> On Sun, 9 Jun 2002 21:09:05 +0200, "Mark Wallace"
>> <mwallace...@dse.nl> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>> Your behaviour has been shameful, considering that I offered to
>>> give up some of my time -- and I have precious little of it to
>>> spare -- to help you out.
>>
>> If I needed to be "helped out", which I don't, you'd be one of the
>> very last people on earth I'd consider capable of doing so.
>
>Which is why you e-mailed me, asking for advice, I presume.
Wrong. It was you who emailed me, thinking your precious gems of
wisdom would be worth anything. You'll recall, if being honest, I
didn't take you up on your offer. Why do you constantly lie, fool?
--
Charles Riggs
Charles Riggs
<mwallace...@dse.nl> wrote:
<Wallace's usual lies and errors, snipped>
>Happy?
I have to say, I'll give you a 10 for effort. You do try hard to
impress. I shouldn't blame you for your incredible stupidity, only
feel sorry for you.
--
Charles Riggs
Charles Riggs
<mwallace...@dse.nl> wrote:
>John Dawkins wrote:
>> You could write a dime novel.
>
>I'm not sure I could spare the di---Time.
Your time isn't worth even a dime. "My precious time", in the words of
Mark Wallace a couple of days ago. What a stuffed shirt you are.
You're also a liar, and few things are worse than that. Barring Mimi
Kahn, you are the most despicable character, in a hundred different
ways, I've ever run across in a newsgroup.
--
Charles Riggs
John Dawkins
"Mark Wallace" <mwallace...@dse.nl> wrote:
> John Dawkins wrote:
> > In article <ae2pqb$3etqq$1...@ID-51325.news.dfncis.de>,
> > "Mark Wallace" <mwallace...@dse.nl> wrote:
> >
> >> John Dawkins wrote:
> >>> In article <ae2jg2$3ev2h$1...@ID-51325.news.dfncis.de>,
> >>> "Mark Wallace" <mwallace...@dse.nl> wrote:
> >>
> >>>> Given that there are obviously and absolutely no other
> >>>> expressions using the word 'dime', which relate to the use of
> >>>> the telephone, used in US conversation: I was equally obviously
> >>>> and absolutely wrong in my observation.
> >>>
> >>> Hey, it's your dime.
> >>
> >> I'm English. I haven't got a dime to rub together.
> >
> > You could write a dime novel.
>
> I'm not sure I could spare the di---Time.
Another *dime*nsion altogether.
--
J.
Mark Wallace
What a memory you have, Charlie!
Since you appear to have lost it[1], have a copy of the relevant bit
of the header (with your e-mail address removed) of the first e-mail
in the discourse:
Return-Path: <snip>
Delivered-To: mwal...@noknok.nl
Received: (qmail 21892 invoked by alias); 22 May 2002 08:20:23 -0000
<snip>
From: Charles Riggs <snip>
To: "Mark Wallace" <mwal...@noknok.nl>
Subject: Writing
Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 09:19:07 +0100
<snip>
In-Reply-To: <acdkau$oro4e$1...@ID-51325.news.dfncis.de>
X-Mailer: Forte Agent 1.91/32.564
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<content snipped>
Regards,
Charles
Charles Riggs
"I read the book of Job last night. I don't think
God comes well out of it."
Virginia Woolf, 1930
Note the "in reply to"?
Now, that means that you took one of my postings to the group and
replied by e-mail.
This could not have been an accidental click of the 'reply to
sender' button, rather than 'reply to group', because the characters
'nospam' had to be removed from my e-mail address, in order for it
to reach me.
[1] Precisely what you've lost is not yet fully clear.
Mark Wallace
This thread can only go downhill, because I can't think of any more
good words starting with 'dime'.
Well, at least no-one's mentioned Joe Dime-aggio, so it hasn't
dime-inished too far, yet.
Dr Robin Bignall
<mwallace...@dse.nl> wrote:
[..]
>This thread can only go downhill, because I can't think of any more
>good words starting with 'dime'.
>Well, at least no-one's mentioned Joe Dime-aggio, so it hasn't
>dime-inished too far, yet.
Those are dimetrically opposed to the rules of punning.
--
wrmst rgrds
RB...(docrobi...@ntlworld.com)
Mark Wallace
> On Tue, 11 Jun 2002 18:18:43 +0200, "Mark Wallace"
> <mwallace...@dse.nl> wrote:
>
> [..]
>> This thread can only go downhill, because I can't think of any
>> more good words starting with 'dime'.
>> Well, at least no-one's mentioned Joe Dime-aggio, so it hasn't
>> dime-inished too far, yet.
>
> Those are dimetrically opposed to the rules of punning.
Good!
I hate pun threads!
They drive me dimented!
Dr Robin Bignall
<mwallace...@dse.nl> wrote:
>Dr Robin Bignall wrote:
>> On Tue, 11 Jun 2002 18:18:43 +0200, "Mark Wallace"
>> <mwallace...@dse.nl> wrote:
>>
>> [..]
>>> This thread can only go downhill, because I can't think of any
>>> more good words starting with 'dime'.
>>> Well, at least no-one's mentioned Joe Dime-aggio, so it hasn't
>>> dime-inished too far, yet.
>>
>> Those are dimetrically opposed to the rules of punning.
>
>Good!
>I hate pun threads!
>They drive me dimented!
So now it is time,
I feel, to stop on a dime
or you will be mad.
--
wrmst rgrds
RB...(docrobi...@ntlworld.com)
Pat Durkin
"Dr Robin Bignall" <docr...@red.sylvania> wrote in message
news:rfocgusbc7ndtmish...@4ax.com...
Name a cold remedy in the US in which the TV add featured a hand tapping
a dime on a tabletop.
Tony Cooper
> This thread can only go downhill, because I can't think of any more
> good words starting with 'dime'.
> Well, at least no-one's mentioned Joe Dime-aggio, so it hasn't
> dime-inished too far, yet.
>
In 1792, the U.S. mint struck a coin called a "disme" that was valued at
ten cents. There was also a coin called a "half disme". You can play
with variations of disme if you're bored.
--
Tony Cooper aka: Tony_Co...@Yahoo.com
Provider of Jots & Tittles
Tony Cooper
>
> Name a cold remedy in the US in which the TV add featured a hand
tapping
> a dime on a tabletop.
>
Dimetapp? I never saw an ad, but Wyeth makes such a cold and allergy
remedy.
I think you took a dimatass cup full of it.
Mark Wallace
> "Mark Wallace" <mwallace...@dse.nl> wrote in message
> news:ae5845$42541$1@ID-
>
>> This thread can only go downhill, because I can't think of any
>> more good words starting with 'dime'.
>> Well, at least no-one's mentioned Joe Dime-aggio, so it hasn't
>> dime-inished too far, yet.
>
> In 1792, the U.S. mint struck a coin called a "disme" that was
> valued at ten cents. There was also a coin called a "half disme".
> You can play with variations of disme if you're bored.
Oh, great!
That's all we bloody needed!
Thanks to you, the pun thread will probably now continue.
I hope you're satisfied with yourself!
What a dismel development.
Tony Cooper
> Tony Cooper wrote:
> > "Mark Wallace" <mwallace...@dse.nl> wrote in message
> > news:ae5845$42541$1@ID-
> >
> >> This thread can only go downhill, because I can't think of any
> >> more good words starting with 'dime'.
> >> Well, at least no-one's mentioned Joe Dime-aggio, so it hasn't
> >> dime-inished too far, yet.
> >
> > In 1792, the U.S. mint struck a coin called a "disme" that was
> > valued at ten cents. There was also a coin called a "half disme".
> > You can play with variations of disme if you're bored.
>
> Oh, great!
> That's all we bloody needed!
> Thanks to you, the pun thread will probably now continue.
> I hope you're satisfied with yourself!
> What a dismel development.
Makes your head spin and gets you disme to think about it, doesn't it?
meirman
<artfl...@aol.com> posted:
I think Rod Serling said the Fifth Dime-nsion is Dime
Or maybe the Fifth Dimension said that.
s/ meirman If you are emailing me please
say if you are posting the same response.
Born west of Pittsburgh Pa. 10 years
Indianapolis, 7 years
Chicago, 6 years
Brooklyn NY 12 years
Baltimore 17 years