I’m still on the road, but here are the last clichés:
Off the Top of my Head – Impromptu, extemporaneously, impetuously. A mid-20th century Americanism. Term appeared in Harold L. Ickes’ Secret Diary (1939). See also author June Drummond (Junta, 1989).
Make the Grade – To reach a given standard or pass a test. Alludes to climbing a steep hill or gradient and was transferred to mean any kind of success in the first half of the 20th century. There was an early appeared in print in S. Ford’s Inez and Trilby (1921).
One for the Road – One last drink of alcohol. Eric Partridge thought the term originated with traveling salesmen who applied it either to one last drink after a night’s carousing or to one more drink before one literally set out “on the road” to see more customers. From 20th century, heard less often today, especially in America where heavy drinking is increasingly frowned upon, especially for drivers.
How many did you find?
I’m racking my brain to figure out my blog post while traveling. Usually I write about writing, but this trip it’s difficult. Came to say good-bye to my sister-in-law who is dying of cancer.
Make no bones about it, this trip was hard and writing a blog about writing is even harder.
So, I’ve posted my last blog clichés and since the cat has my tongue, I will say…until next post…
Keep Writing!
Julie
