What Are You Doing Right Now? (98 Viewers)

[JuveJay]

I've never heard that phrase, must be an Americanism.

 

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[swag]

I've never heard that phrase, must be an Americanism.

It's from the days when people had to draw water. As if up from a well. It's not that far off from the term "draught beer" for that matter -- except there the beer is drawn up from below with a pump.

Apparently the rest of the world has always had indoor plumbing.

 

[Red]

Where does the phrase to 'draw the curtains' come from then?

 

[Kate]

Where does the phrase to 'draw the curtains' come from then?

I don't think it's a particular idiom..."to draw" means to pull in a certain direction, or to cause to move by pulling, so really it's a standard definition.

 

[Red]

So curtains didn't originally have to be taken from a well?

 

[Kate]

So curtains didn't originally have to be taken from a well?

Not always, no.

 

[JuveJay]

It's from the days when people had to draw water. As if up from a well. It's not that far off from the term "draught beer" for that matter -- except there the beer is drawn up from below with a pump.

Apparently the rest of the world has always had indoor plumbing.

I'm sure it does, just that I've never heard anyone use it in the UK. Obviously it has been retained in some parts of the US at least.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Was going through my Flickr account, and came across this:

 

[Red]

Not always, no.

What about when I hit a draw when playing golf?

 

[Kate]

Was going through my Flickr account, and came across this:

That made me so happy!

---------- Post added 25.08.2012 at 22:19 ----------

I'm sure it does, just that I've never heard anyone use it in the UK. Obviously it has been retained in some parts of the US at least.

It actually seems to be one of the principal definitions of the word, perhaps it is more archaic?

---------- Post added 25.08.2012 at 22:19 ----------

What about when I hit a draw when playing golf?

I can't help you there, my talents are limited to interior design.

 

[swag]

So curtains didn't originally have to be taken from a well?

Only beef curtains.

I'm sure it does, just that I've never heard anyone use it in the UK. Obviously it has been retained in some parts of the US at least.

Odd, because I've only heard it used by people from the UK.

This is getting to sound like the steak tartare/filet américain thing where one culture always blames the other for the origin of something.

 

[JuveJay]

It actually seems to be one of the principal definitions of the word, perhaps it is more archaic?

Seems to be. British English is full of this type of thing, which makes it more surprising that it's not used here.

---------- Post added 26.08.2012 at 02:28 ----------

Odd, because I've only heard it used by people from the UK.

This is getting to sound like the steak tartare/filet américain thing where one culture always blames the other for the origin of something.

Draw a bath? Honestly never heard it in ~28 years of living here. Run a bath is used, typically.

 

[swag]

Draw a bath? Honestly never heard it in ~28 years of living here. Run a bath is used, typically.

Here it's take a bath, which is rare enough because almost no one does on this continent once you're older than 5-years-old.

 

[Kate]

Here it's take a bath, which is rare enough because almost no one does on this continent once you're older than 5-years-old.

To draw/run a bath is different from to take a bath.

 

[JuveJay]

Here it's take a bath, which is rare enough because almost no one does on this continent once you're older than 5-years-old.

Yes, that too. But the process of actually filling it is different.

Fascinating discussion.

Do you know where the v-sign comes from?

Well, I know you'll know. And Red. Anyone else?

 

[Kate]

Yes, that too. But the process of actually filling it is different.

Fascinating discussion.

Do you know where the v-sign comes from?

Well, I know you'll know. And Red. Anyone else?

I know the fake story, the one about Agincourt, but I don't know the actual reason.

 

[The Curr]

I think most people know about the v-sign.

 

[swag]

To draw/run a bath is different from to take a bath.

True. But baths are so rare anyway, just filling the tub is lumped together with the bathing act itself. It's like the inverse of the eskimos and their 17 words for snow.

Do you know where the v-sign comes from?

Japanese porn stars after bukkake scenes?

 

[JuveJay]

True.

 

[Kate]

True. But baths are so rare anyway, just filling the tub is lumped together with the bathing act itself. It's like the inverse of the eskimos and their 17 words for snow.

Not amongst women they're not