Origin of Pilot Term "Balls-to-the-Wall

[arildno]

"gay" meant "merry", rather than "happy", and in the 18th-19th century, "gay women" was a euphemism for prostitutes.

Thus, "gay" has a long history signifying "looseness",particularly with regard to festive mood/sexuality, with "gay cat" being a term used on effeminate young men in the 1920's or so.

 

[Lancelot59]

So where are you? If you're a Yank and call me "neighbour" you must be in Montana, North Dakota, or the narrow bit of Idaho. (Oh, crap... I just noticed that you spelled "neighbour" correctly, so you must be a fellow Canuk.)

Indeed I am. Hello from B.C.!

 

[leroyjenkens]

I found an interesting fact about the word "harlot" on dictionary.com.

The word harlot nowadays refers to a particular kind of woman, but interestingly it used to refer to a particular kind of man. The word is first recorded in English in a work written around the beginning of the 13th century, meaning "a man of no fixed occupation, vagabond, beggar," and soon afterwards meant "male lecher." Already in the 14th century it appears as a deprecatory word for a woman, though exactly how this meaning developed from the male sense is not clear. For a time the word could also refer to a juggler or jester of either sex, but by the close of the 17th century its usage referring to males had disappeared.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

Thanks for ruining that for me Dan Man. ;-p

And "powder monkey" referred to the negros. "Brass monkey" is a potent kinda drink.

"gay" meant "merry", rather than "happy", and in the 18th-19th century, "gay women" was a euphemism for prostitutes.

Thus, "gay" has a long history signifying "looseness",particularly with regard to festive mood/sexuality, with "gay cat" being a term used on effeminate young men in the 1920's or so.

Funny enough my friends and I refer to each other as bundles of sticks all the time.Certain words just cease to really mean much of anything except a stupid immature joke when you through them around like confetti at a parade. I patiently wait for the day that any person will laugh, or simply roll their eyes, at any generally asterisked word.