| Author |
Message |
Miss Grunge
Guest
|
| Posted: Wed May 04, 2005 2:31 pm
Post subject: "to hang fire" |
|
|
My mother uses this expression in the context : "those cakes are hanging
fire - would someone please clear them up for me".
Anyone know the origin of this phrase? Many of her expression are
Staffs/Warcks dialect.
Thanks.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Peter Duncanson
Guest
|
| Posted: Wed May 04, 2005 4:09 pm
Post subject: Re: "to hang fire" |
|
|
On Wed, 4 May 2005 16:31:44 +0800, "Miss Grunge"
<missgrunge@yourwighotmail.com> wrote:
| Quote: | My mother uses this expression in the context : "those cakes are hanging
fire - would someone please clear them up for me".
Anyone know the origin of this phrase? Many of her expression are
Staffs/Warcks dialect.
Thanks.
There was a brief discussion of this phrase recently in alt.english.usage: |
On Tue, 15 Mar 2005 14:53:30 -0000, "John Dean" <john-dean@frag.lineone.net>
wrote:
| Quote: | A hang-fire is a situation where there is a delay between the
application of the firing mechanism (trigger, match, whatever) and the
weapon discharging. The gun still goes off, but it doesn't go off at the
expected moment. Particularly a problem where a spark or fire was
applied externally through a vent to gunpowder in the barrel, but also
happened with percussion caps and ready made ammunition.
Important to note it is not a misfire (miss-fire) where the weapon fails
to discharge at all.
I've known the phrasal verb "hang fire" to be used where the speaker
intends to say "hold your fire". A genuine hang-fire is not within the
control of the shooter. Idiomatically, a person may choose to "hang
fire" by delaying the performance of an action.
|
In the case of your mother's cakes did she mean that the cakes were taking
longer than expected to be fully cooked?
--
Peter Duncanson
UK
(posting from u.c.l.e) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Miss Grunge
Guest
|
| Posted: Wed May 04, 2005 6:10 pm
Post subject: Re: "to hang fire" |
|
|
She means they have been hanging around and not getting eaten.
"Peter Duncanson" <mail@peterduncanson.net> wrote in message
news:oi7h711djo213iisj7c0317k58uuuhk7rt@4ax.com...
| Quote: | On Wed, 4 May 2005 16:31:44 +0800, "Miss Grunge"
missgrunge@yourwighotmail.com> wrote:
My mother uses this expression in the context : "those cakes are hanging
fire - would someone please clear them up for me".
Anyone know the origin of this phrase? Many of her expression are
Staffs/Warcks dialect.
Thanks.
There was a brief discussion of this phrase recently in alt.english.usage:
On Tue, 15 Mar 2005 14:53:30 -0000, "John Dean"
john-dean@frag.lineone.net
wrote:
A hang-fire is a situation where there is a delay between the
application of the firing mechanism (trigger, match, whatever) and the
weapon discharging. The gun still goes off, but it doesn't go off at the
expected moment. Particularly a problem where a spark or fire was
applied externally through a vent to gunpowder in the barrel, but also
happened with percussion caps and ready made ammunition.
Important to note it is not a misfire (miss-fire) where the weapon fails
to discharge at all.
I've known the phrasal verb "hang fire" to be used where the speaker
intends to say "hold your fire". A genuine hang-fire is not within the
control of the shooter. Idiomatically, a person may choose to "hang
fire" by delaying the performance of an action.
In the case of your mother's cakes did she mean that the cakes were taking
longer than expected to be fully cooked?
--
Peter Duncanson
UK
(posting from u.c.l.e) |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Peter Duncanson
Guest
|
| Posted: Wed May 04, 2005 8:45 pm
Post subject: Re: "to hang fire" |
|
|
On Wed, 4 May 2005 20:10:37 +0800, "Miss Grunge"
<missgrunge@yourwighotmail.com> wrote:
| Quote: | She means they have been hanging around and not getting eaten.
|
Aaah. It's really the 'eaters' who have been "hanging fire" - i.e. holding
back.
However, phrases tend to acquire different usages as different people get
hold of them.
--
Peter Duncanson
UK
(posting from u.c.l.e) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
| |
FAQ
Memberlist
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in