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Guest
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| Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 7:51 pm
Post subject: "bibs and bobs" or "bits and bobs" |
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does anyone know which phrase is correct and were it comes from?
"bibs and bobs" or "bits and bobs"
thanks!
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Harvey Van Sickle
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| Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 7:51 pm
Post subject: Re: "bibs and bobs" or "bits and bobs" |
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On 14 Oct 2005, wrote
| Quote: | does anyone know which phrase is correct and were it comes from?
"bibs and bobs" or "bits and bobs"
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I don't know the historic forms, but I've only ever heard "bits and
bobs", never "bibs and bobs".
--
Cheers, Harvey
Canadian (30 years) and British (23 years)
For e-mail, change harvey.news to harvey.van |
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Joe Higman
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| Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2005 12:54 am
Post subject: Re: "bibs and bobs" or "bits and bobs" |
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<asherkerr@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1129297863.922201.100830@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
| Quote: | does anyone know which phrase is correct and were it comes from?
"bibs and bobs" or "bits and bobs"
thanks!
|
Of these two the SOED has only bits and bobs. It also has "bits and bats"
and "bits and pieces" as meaning much the same thing. Google has "bibs and
bobs", not exclusively as a twee name for baby accessory businesses. Could
"bibs" be a mishearing that has persisted in some places?
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Daniel James
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| Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2005 7:28 pm
Post subject: Re: "bibs and bobs" or "bits and bobs" |
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In article news:<1129297863.922201.100830@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
wrote:
| Quote: | does anyone know which phrase is correct and were it comes from?
"bibs and bobs" or "bits and bobs"
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"Bits", definitely.
I might speculate that "bits and bobs" exemplify the the little bits of
paraphernalia carried by builders. A "bit" being the cutting part of a
drill and a bob (or plumb-bob) is the weight of a plumbline (used for
making sure things are vertical).
I might, but it would be speculation.
Cheers,
Daniel. |
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Guest
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| Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 3:37 am
Post subject: Re: "bibs and bobs" or "bits and bobs" |
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"bits and bobs" refers to pocket change
A "bit" was a coin, three-penny bit or six-penny bit,
A "bob" was a shilling or twelve pence
hope this helps.
Mark
"Daniel James" <wastebasket@nospam.aaisp.org> wrote in message
news:VA.00000c63.13c847a0@nospam.aaisp.org...
| Quote: | In article news:<1129297863.922201.100830@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
wrote:
does anyone know which phrase is correct and were it comes from?
"bibs and bobs" or "bits and bobs"
"Bits", definitely.
I might speculate that "bits and bobs" exemplify the the little bits of
paraphernalia carried by builders. A "bit" being the cutting part of a
drill and a bob (or plumb-bob) is the weight of a plumbline (used for
making sure things are vertical).
I might, but it would be speculation.
Cheers,
Daniel.
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Daniel James
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 6:13 pm
Post subject: Re: "bibs and bobs" or "bits and bobs" |
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In article news:<diuh8p0272q@news2.newsguy.com>, <Shiny Bob> wrote:
| Quote: | "bits and bobs" refers to pocket change
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That's not what it means in current colloquial English -- it means the same
as "odds and ends".
| Quote: | A "bit" was a coin, three-penny bit or six-penny bit,
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Threepenny (threppenny or thruppenny) bit but sixpence (or sixpenny) piece.
A bit is an eighth of a dollar - originally a piece of a Spanish silver
dollar cut into eight to make small change - but "bit" means a lot of other
things besides small change.
| Quote: | A "bob" was a shilling or twelve pence
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Still is, for those of us born more than a few years before 1971.
... but one didn't talk about shillings as "bobs". One used to say "I've
got a few bob in my pocket" or "that cost me five bob". Never bobs.
Thanks, but I'm not sure it does.
Cheers,
Daniel. |
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Daniel James
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 3:35 am
Post subject: Re: "bibs and bobs" or "bits and bobs" |
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In article news:<VA.00000c77.2f067f29@nospam.aaisp.org>, Daniel James wrote:
| Quote: | A "bit" was a coin, three-penny bit or six-penny bit,
Threepenny (threppenny or thruppenny) bit but sixpence (or sixpenny) piece.
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(thinkng about it) ... or, for that matter, a two-bob bit. I don't recall
ever hearing a shilling called a one-bob bit, though, nor anyone calling a
sixpence a sixpenny bit.
Cheers,
Daniel. |
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Joe Higman
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 5:04 am
Post subject: Re: "bibs and bobs" or "bits and bobs" |
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"Daniel James" <wastebasket@nospam.aaisp.org> wrote in message
news:VA.00000c7d.3108cc5b@nospam.aaisp.org...
| Quote: | In article news:<VA.00000c77.2f067f29@nospam.aaisp.org>, Daniel James
wrote:
A "bit" was a coin, three-penny bit or six-penny bit,
Threepenny (threppenny or thruppenny) bit but sixpence (or sixpenny)
piece.
(thinkng about it) ... or, for that matter, a two-bob bit. I don't recall
ever hearing a shilling called a one-bob bit, though, nor anyone calling a
sixpence a sixpenny bit.
Cheers,
Daniel.
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That's right. In fact IMMSMC nobody ever talked about "bobs" when referring
to money. One bob, two bob, ten bob. You could have a good night out on ten
bob.
Could there be a connection with the bob in "rag, tag and bobtail"? |
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Guest
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| Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 5:22 pm
Post subject: Re: "bibs and bobs" or "bits and bobs" |
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Daniel James wrote:
| Quote: | A "bob" was a shilling or twelve pence
Still is, for those of us born more than a few years before 1971.
.. but one didn't talk about shillings as "bobs". One used to say "I've
got a few bob in my pocket" or "that cost me five bob". Never bobs.
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I've also heard it used in place of 'pounds'... by people born a few
years after 1971. Five shillings won't buy much these days, after all.
:P
Rich |
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