books
sticklers sideburns & bikinis the military origins of everyday words and phrases
did you know they started hearing through the grapevine during the american civil war it was a reference to the telegraph lines used for communicating with the army . these looked like twisted grapevines . and why does the phrase now suggest unreliable information because the lines were used by enemy troops to send false battle reports . br similarly deadline has a rather disturbing and extremely sinister origin . again originating in the american civil war it refers to an actual line drawn in the dirt or marked by a fence around prisoners . if the prisoners crossed this line the guards would shoot to kill . br and of course cut to the quick originally meant a sword blow that cut through the armor and into the flesh beneath . br jam packed with many amazing facts sticklers sideburns and bikinis is an intriguing and entertaining trip through the words and phrases that originated in the military but are now used by soldier and civilian alike . the sources of many are surprising and their original use is often far removed from how we use the word today . from duds to freelancers and morris dancing to snooker this enthralling book describes the military origins of words that we all use without thought on a daily basis .
hardcover osprey publishing uk 2008 isbn13 9781846033001 isbn10 1846033004
abridged n isbn 13 9781846033001 number in series 1 number of pages 280 publisher osprey pub co release date 1224547200000 series title general military