In 1699, the phrase “elbow grease” appeared in the “New Dictionary of the Canting Crew” defined as “a derisory Term for Sweat”. The phrase had existed for sometime before that, known as “the best substance for polishing furniture”. (2.)
Why do they call it elbow grease?
Let’s start by agreeing that grease does not come from elbows. Rather, elbow grease is an idiom that means hard physical labor. It most likely references the effort involved in tasks like scrubbing a sink or sawing wood—your elbow, of course, bending and straightening in turn.
Where does the term elbow come from?
Elbow comes from Old English, where the word for the same body part was elnboga. It had two components – ell, meaning the length of the forearm, and boga, “bow” or “arch.” These in turn came from a Germanic word that ultimately meant “bend of the forearm,” and has similar forms in Dutch, German, and Old Norse.
Is elbow grease a real thing?
Nope! Elbow grease is not an actual miracle product that will make mud and grime disappear. It’s actually an idiom that refers to good old-fashioned hard work. An idiom is a phrase with a meaning that’s different from the meaning of the actual words used.
How do you use elbow grease in a sentence?
(2) It took a considerable amount of polish and elbow grease before the brass shone like new. (3) The polish needs a certain amount of elbow grease to apply. (5) Pioneering vision is required, and elbow grease! (6) You’ll need to use some elbow grease to get that floor clean.
Where did the expression 40 winks come from?
The first use of this expression dates back to 1821, when Dr. William Kitchiner, an optician and telescope inventor used it in his self help guide, The art of invigorating and prolonging life – “A forty winks nap in a horizontal posture, is the best preparative for any extraordinary exertion of either.”
Can I use elbow grease on car?
It’s perfect for cleaning up car parts. If you’ve got some car parts or machinery that needs sprucing up, Elbow Grease will be your best friend. Spray onto an old rag and use to scrub away any grease.
Is your elbow skin called a Wenis?
Weenus (or weenis or wenis) is a slang word for the excess or loose skin at the joint of one’s elbow, which is technically referred to as olecranal skin.
Who made up the word elbow?
Words Shakespeare Invented
| academe | accused | advertising |
|---|---|---|
| dawn | deafening | dishearten |
| dwindle | epileptic | elbow |
| exposure | eyeball | fixture |
| frugal | generous | gossip |
Did Shakespeare invent the word swag?
The word swagger, popular with rap musicians, was first used in Henry V and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, though Shakespeare didn’t invent the word swag.
Is elbow grease toxic?
R10: Flammable. R38: Irritating to skin. R43: May cause sensitisation by skin contact. R50/53: Very toxic to aquatic organisms, may cause long-term adverse effects in the aquatic environment.
Is elbow grease tested on animals?
From the Elbow Grease website…… “None of the ingredients used in the Elbow Grease formulation have been sourced from animals. Neither the finished product nor any of the ingredients have been tested on animals on behalf of 151 Products Ltd.” 3 of 3 found this helpful.
Can I use elbow grease in my oven?
Oven and stove top
Elbow Grease is great for a total oven clean, the job in your kitchen that, let’s face it, you’ve probably been putting off! Spray it on all the oven surfaces including on the hob and the extractor fan, leave for 5 minutes and then wipe clean with a sponge scourer.
How do you use forty winks in a sentence?
sleeping for a short period of time (usually not in bed).
- I managed to get forty winks after lunch.
- I’ll feel much better when I’ve had forty winks.
- I felt a lot better after I had forty winks.
- He usually has forty winks going home on the train.
- I could do with forty winks right now and Otley would never miss me.
How do you use oddball in a sentence?
If you refer to someone as an oddball, you think they behave in a strange way. His mother and father thought Jim was a bit of an oddball too. Oddball is also an adjective. I came from a family that was decidedly oddball, you know.
Why do they say scott free?
IN MACBETH you may recall the line “We have Scotched the snake, not killed it” – which means that the snake is scratched, or injured. So the original expression “Scotch Free” meant uninjured or even unmarked; it very quickly became Scot-Free because of colloquial speech.
Where did the term dressed to the nines come from?
The phrase is said to be Scots in origin. The earliest written example of the phrase is from the 1719 Epistle to Ramsay by the Scottish poet William Hamilton: The bonny Lines therein thou sent me, How to the nines they did content me.
Why do we say gone for a Burton?
“Gone for a Burton” means to have gone for a Burton Ale. This was wartime R.A.F. slang, and the pilot who had supposedly gone for a beer wasn’t actually coming back. Richard Burton would have been a mere boy at the time.
What does Mrs Hinch use elbow grease for?
When it comes to Mrs Hinch’s cleaning favourites, this product is definitely used regularly to clean her home. The Elbow Grease All Purpose Degreaser is loved by the cleaning guru as well as many of her followers.
What is in sugar soap?
What It Is. Despite the name, the common form of sugar soap contains no sugar. The name comes from the way it looks: The powdered form resembles sugar crystals. Although ingredients vary from brand to brand, the main ones are sodium carbonate, sodium phosphate and sodium silicate.
Can elbow grease be used on walls?
Avoid using on painted surfaces and use it on a small patch first to check it doesn’t cause any permanent damage. I have used Elbow Grease to remove child-friendly paint from a wall. I did not scrub hard and it did not take away any of the wall paint! I sprayed on then wiped away with a dry piece of kitchen paper.
