Re: USAGE: towing the line (was: THEORY: no more URs!)

On Sat, 25 May 2002 22:25:14 -0400 John Cowan <jcowan@...>
writes:
> Thomas R. Wier scripsit:
> > Towing the line of the department is an all too common frailty,
> This is a very interesting expression, and I wonder if it is a
> mere brain fart (a typo seems to be ruled out) or a genuine
> reanalysis of an old expression no longer understood.
> Historically,
> one "toed the line" when engaged in competitive running or archery
> or such; that is, stood with one's toe at, but not over, the
> starting line.  Hence the notion of conforming to the rules.
> What do y'all understand by this phrase?
> We already have the well-known expression "doggy-dog world"
> for "dog-eat-dog world".
> John Cowan <jcowan@...>
-

And then there's my favorite, "for all intensive purposes" which for the
first 20 years of my life i thought was the proper way to say/write "for
all intents and purposes".  I still do it that way, because that's 'how i
speak' - and i don't think anyone's ever actually called me on it.


-Stephen (Steg)
 "birds fly over the rainbow
  why can't i?"
     (my brother is listening to a cool cover of that song now)

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