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Feather in your cap

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Feather in your cap

Origin of Phrases - F

 

Feather in your cap

Meaning: To gain approval.

 

Example: You put a feather in your cap when you bought lunch for the boss's secretary.

 

Origin: It was once a common practice to award a feather to a soldier who had killed an enemy. These feathers were worn on the helmet, or other headgear and were considered symbols of social status much as modern soldiers receive and display medals.

 

When American Indians performed bravely in battle, they would receive a feather to add to their headdress. The more feathers on an Indian's headdress, the better the warrior.

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Flash in the pan

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Flash in the pan

Origin of Phrases - F

 

Flash in the pan

Meaning: Something that shows great promise, then disappoints by being over too quickly.

 

Example: Ross Perot's political career turned out to be a flash in the pan.

 

Origin: Flintlock muskets have small pans to hold the gunpowder fuse. Sometimes the gunpowder in the pan would flare up without firing the gun. That would be a "flash in the pan".

Alternatively, Derives from the early gold prospectors who would literally see a flash of light as they panned for gold, but who would often fail to find the nuggets on closer inspection. See the related expression "pan out".

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Flying by the seat of your pants

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Flying by the seat of your pants

Origin of Phrases - F

 

Flying by the seat of your pants

Meaning: To do something without planning, to change course midstream, to figure things out as you go.
 

Example: Most stock investors are not making educated decisions, they are just flying by the seat of their pants.
 

Origin: Before airplanes had sophisticated instruments and flight control systems, and even today, planes are piloted by feel. Pilots can feel the reactions of the plane in response to their actions at the controls.
Being the largest point of contact between pilot and plane, most of the feel or feedback comes through the seat of the pants.
If you are "flying by the seat of your pants" your are responding to the feedback received.

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Funny Bone

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Funny Bone

Origin of Phrases - F

 

Funny Bone

Human anatomy was largely a mystery in the early days of science. Because skeletons were abundant, bones were the first body parts to be the subject of intense study. Terms were chosen from Latin because it was viewed as the universal language of scholarship. The big bone that runs from the shoulder to the elbow became known as the humerus, Latin for "upper arm." There is no record of the person who called the tip of the humerus the funny bone, but it's believed the name came about in some part because of the distinctively unusual (funny?) sensation a person feels when it's struck against a hard surface.

 

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Face the Music

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Face the Music

Origin of Phrases - F

 

Face the Music

Meaning: To accept the truth.

 

Example: It's time to face the music on your smoking addiction.

 

Origin: Soldiers who had been handed their dishonorable discharge papers was forced to march slowly between ranks of his former comrades. Drums and other instruments marked time for this march. Even though the situation offered no choice, it meant meeting the unpleasant head-on.

 

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