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Monkey Dish

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Monkey Dish

Origin of Phrases - M

 

Monkey Dish

It comes from the little hat that a hurdy gurdy man's monkey wore. When the monkey's hat was taken off its head and tipped over to accept change, it resembles the little dish known in restaurants as a monkey dish.

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Mark my words

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Mark my words

Origin of Phrases - M

 

Mark my words

Meaning: I will be proven correct.

 

Example: Mark my words, if you don't replace you tires you will have a blow out on your car by the end of the summer.

 

Origin: "Mark" in this case means to write, hence "mark my words" means to write down my words. This will enable the written words to be referenced later, presumably proving the speaker correct.

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Making money hand over fist

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Making money hand over fist

Origin of Phrases - M

 

Making money hand over fist

Meaning: Making a lot of money fast.

 

Example: Since I joined that pyramid club, soon I'll be making money hand over fist.

 

Origin: If you had a large pile of money in front of you free for the taking, you would use one hand to grab a wad of money and then transfer that wad to your other hand to hold the money. The first hand is then free to grab some more money.

The hand holding the money would of course be clenched in a fist to hang on to it.

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Making hay

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Making hay

Origin of Phrases - M

 

Making hay

Meaning: To be highly productive for a limited period of time when the opportunity is present.

 

Example: While in graduate school you may be living as a pauper, but when you get out with your new degree you will be making hay.

 

Origin: "Making Hay" is short for "Making hay while the sun shines". If you cut or harvest hay during inclement weather (e.g. rain) the hay becomes heavy and hard to rake and bail but even worse it will mold and become useless. You can only make hay while the sun shines.

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Make no bones about it

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Make no bones about it

Origin of Phrases - M

 

Make no bones about it

Meaning: Don't misunderstand what I am saying, I am speaking frankly.

 

Example: Make no bones about it, I will be calling your boss about your proposition.

 

Origin: "Bones" in this case is short for boners. Although boner has other meanings, a boner is defined as a mistake. This meaning has fallen out of common usage but was once widely used.

To "make no bones" means make no boners or mistakes.

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