Donate SIGN UP

People in expressions,who are they?

Avatar Image
missmooncat | 23:56 Mon 05th Jun 2006 | Phrases & Sayings
8 Answers

I`ve always wondered if sayings with names in are they real people does anyone know?I mean things like


Smart Alec


Nosey Parker


Peeping Tom


Jack of all Trades


THANKS

Gravatar

Answers

1 to 8 of 8rss feed

Best Answer

No best answer has yet been selected by missmooncat. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.

For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.
I used to know a Gordon Bennett and a **** ****! So maybe the others are real people!

Peeping Tom was a character from Lady Godiva - the only one (likely story!) to look on as she rode by.


Smart Alex (Alexander) originated from USA and like mallory I've known a few smart """""!! too!!!


Forgot one other.... used to know a Jack A Nory!!!

SMART ALEC.

According to G.L. Cohen, author of Studies in Slang Part 1 (1985), the phrase smart alec(k) arose from the exploits of one Alec Hoag. A celebrated pimp, thief, and confidence man operating out of New York City in the 1840's, Mr. Hoag, along with his wife Melinda and an accomplice known as "French Jack," operated a con called the "panel game," a method by which prostitutes and their pimps robbed foolish customers.


A search of several dictionaries pretty much confirms this definition. The Oxford English Dictionary, so beloved on this website, traces it to mid-1860s slang, while the American Heritage Dictionary (4th ed., 2000) and Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (16th ed., 1999) tentatively trace the etymology of the phrase to Hoag.


NOSEY PARKER.
http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-nos2.htm
or

http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=19990420



PEEPING TOM.

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/peeping-tom.html



JACK OF ALL TRADES.

http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/4/messages/946.html


Hope this helps.

who are tom, dick and harry?


lazy susan?


not sure i believe that noodles - jack. a. nory?

Question Author

thanks a lot very intersting does anyone know anymore?


My dad used to say -Bloody Nora,has anyone any idea on this one?


thanks


What about Clever Dick?

1 to 8 of 8rss feed

Do you know the answer?

People in expressions,who are they?

Answer Question >>