| Author |
Message |
Nick Worley
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 10:48 pm
Post subject: "to give sb a heads-up" (US English) |
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I keep hearing the expression "to give sb a heads-up" on the US TV series
"The Shield".
The first time I heard it I did a double-take (I'm English), and after
hearing it a few
times I assume it means something like "to inform sb <of sth>", "to warn sb
<of
sth>".
In the contexts I heard the expression in, the people in question were being
informed/warned of something either serious or dangerous.
Where does this expression come from? Is it a military expression?
Thanks
Nick
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ray o'hara
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 11:24 pm
Post subject: Re: "to give sb a heads-up" (US English) |
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"Nick Worley" <spam@cornedbeef.com> wrote in message
news:3s1t6vFlnovtU1@individual.net...
| Quote: | I keep hearing the expression "to give sb a heads-up" on the US TV series
"The Shield".
The first time I heard it I did a double-take (I'm English), and after
hearing it a few
times I assume it means something like "to inform sb <of sth>", "to warn
sb
of
sth>".
In the contexts I heard the expression in, the people in question were
being
informed/warned of something either serious or dangerous.
Where does this expression come from? Is it a military expression?
Thanks
Nick
|
Heads-up is a baseball term.When a foul ball is het in the air and it is
heading towards the fans someone yells "HEADS-UP" to warn people a ball is
coming and to watch out so they don't get hit by it. |
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Robert Lieblich
Guest
|
| Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 5:33 am
Post subject: Re: "to give sb a heads-up" (US English) |
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ray o'hara wrote:
| Quote: |
"Nick Worley" <spam@cornedbeef.com> wrote in message
news:3s1t6vFlnovtU1@individual.net...
I keep hearing the expression "to give sb a heads-up" on the US TV series
"The Shield".
The first time I heard it I did a double-take (I'm English), and after
hearing it a few
times I assume it means something like "to inform sb <of sth>", "to warn
sb
of
sth>".
In the contexts I heard the expression in, the people in question were
being
informed/warned of something either serious or dangerous.
Where does this expression come from? Is it a military expression?
Heads-up is a baseball term.When a foul ball is het in the air and it is
heading towards the fans someone yells "HEADS-UP" to warn people a ball is
coming and to watch out so they don't get hit by it.
|
It's used far more widely than that, although it may well have
originated in the context of various sports. As an adjective, it
means "alert." As a noun, it can also be said to mean "alert" (the
noun). Several on-line dictionaries that can be accessed via
<http://www.onelook.com/?w=heads+up&ls=a> offer definitions. Encarta
deals specifically with the noun use:
<encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults.aspx?refid=1861691618>.
--
Bob Lieblich
Head held high
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Tony Cooper
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 6:15 am
Post subject: Re: "to give sb a heads-up" (US English) |
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On Sun, 23 Oct 2005 19:33:31 -0400, Robert Lieblich
<robert.lieblich@verizon.net> wrote:
| Quote: | ray o'hara wrote:
"Nick Worley" <spam@cornedbeef.com> wrote in message
news:3s1t6vFlnovtU1@individual.net...
I keep hearing the expression "to give sb a heads-up" on the US TV series
"The Shield".
The first time I heard it I did a double-take (I'm English), and after
hearing it a few
times I assume it means something like "to inform sb <of sth>", "to warn
sb
of
sth>".
In the contexts I heard the expression in, the people in question were
being
informed/warned of something either serious or dangerous.
Where does this expression come from? Is it a military expression?
Heads-up is a baseball term.When a foul ball is het in the air and it is
heading towards the fans someone yells "HEADS-UP" to warn people a ball is
coming and to watch out so they don't get hit by it.
It's used far more widely than that, although it may well have
originated in the context of various sports. As an adjective, it
means "alert." As a noun, it can also be said to mean "alert" (the
noun). Several on-line dictionaries that can be accessed via
http://www.onelook.com/?w=heads+up&ls=a> offer definitions. Encarta
deals specifically with the noun use:
encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults.aspx?refid=1861691618>.
|
I have no idea when "heads up" originated, but war is much older than
baseball. "Heads up" would be good advice when anything from arrows
to mortar shells are raining down.
--
Tony Cooper
Orlando, FL |
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ray o'hara
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 6:16 am
Post subject: Re: "to give sb a heads-up" (US English) |
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"Robert Lieblich"
| Quote: | informed/warned of something either serious or dangerous.
Where does this expression come from? Is it a military expression?
.
--
Bob Lieblich
Head held high
|
Yes it is a catch all now as the poster seemed to bell aware . He was asking
about its origin. |
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Tony Cooper
Guest
|
| Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 7:00 am
Post subject: Re: "to give sb a heads-up" (US English) |
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On 23 Oct 2005 19:56:59 -0700, "Weatherlawyer"
<Weatherlawyer@hotmail.com> wrote:
| Quote: |
Tony Cooper wrote:
I have no idea when "heads up" originated, but war is much older than baseball. "Heads
up" would be good advice when anything from arrows to mortar shells are raining down.
I'd have called: "Heads down!" for that sort of thing, were I alerting
others to danger.
|
"Heads up" means "be alert". It is not an instruction on head
positioning.
You may "get down" because you are alert, but first you must be
alerted to the fact that danger is imminent.
--
Tony Cooper
Orlando, FL |
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Tony Cooper
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 7:00 am
Post subject: Re: "to give sb a heads-up" (US English) |
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On Sun, 23 Oct 2005 22:34:37 -0400, "ray o'hara" <roh@comcast.net>
wrote:
| Quote: |
"Tony Cooper" <tony_cooper213@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:dq9ol1dkmcqfpsj23rulea5hokprkk3s9a@4ax.com...
On Sun, 23 Oct 2005 19:33:31 -0400, Robert Lieblich
robert.lieblich@verizon.net> wrote:
ray o'hara wrote:
"Nick Worley" <spam@cornedbeef.com> wrote in message
news:3s1t6vFlnovtU1@individual.net...
I keep hearing the expression "to give sb a heads-up" on the US TV
series
"The Shield".
The first time I heard it I did a double-take (I'm English), and
after
hearing it a few
times I assume it means something like "to inform sb <of sth>", "to
warn
sb
of
sth>".
In the contexts I heard the expression in, the people in question
were
being
informed/warned of something either serious or dangerous.
Where does this expression come from? Is it a military expression?
Heads-up is a baseball term.When a foul ball is het in the air and it
is
heading towards the fans someone yells "HEADS-UP" to warn people a ball
is
coming and to watch out so they don't get hit by it.
It's used far more widely than that, although it may well have
originated in the context of various sports. As an adjective, it
means "alert." As a noun, it can also be said to mean "alert" (the
noun). Several on-line dictionaries that can be accessed via
http://www.onelook.com/?w=heads+up&ls=a> offer definitions. Encarta
deals specifically with the noun use:
encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults.aspx?refid=18
61691618>.
I have no idea when "heads up" originated, but war is much older than
baseball. "Heads up" would be good advice when anything from arrows
to mortar shells are raining down.
Baseball goes back to pre-revolutionary war America.
|
ObAue: Is this a non sequitur or an absurdism?
--
Tony Cooper
Orlando, FL |
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Weatherlawyer
Guest
|
| Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 7:00 am
Post subject: Re: "to give sb a heads-up" (US English) |
|
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Tony Cooper wrote:
| Quote: |
I have no idea when "heads up" originated, but war is much older than baseball. "Heads
up" would be good advice when anything from arrows to mortar shells are raining down.
I'd have called: "Heads down!" for that sort of thing, were I alerting |
others to danger. |
|
| Back to top |
|
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ray o'hara
Guest
|
| Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 7:00 am
Post subject: Re: "to give sb a heads-up" (US English) |
|
|
"Tony Cooper" <tony_cooper213@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:dq9ol1dkmcqfpsj23rulea5hokprkk3s9a@4ax.com...
| Quote: | On Sun, 23 Oct 2005 19:33:31 -0400, Robert Lieblich
robert.lieblich@verizon.net> wrote:
ray o'hara wrote:
"Nick Worley" <spam@cornedbeef.com> wrote in message
news:3s1t6vFlnovtU1@individual.net...
I keep hearing the expression "to give sb a heads-up" on the US TV
series
"The Shield".
The first time I heard it I did a double-take (I'm English), and
after
hearing it a few
times I assume it means something like "to inform sb <of sth>", "to
warn
sb
of
sth>".
In the contexts I heard the expression in, the people in question
were
being
informed/warned of something either serious or dangerous.
Where does this expression come from? Is it a military expression?
Heads-up is a baseball term.When a foul ball is het in the air and it
is
heading towards the fans someone yells "HEADS-UP" to warn people a ball
is
coming and to watch out so they don't get hit by it.
It's used far more widely than that, although it may well have
originated in the context of various sports. As an adjective, it
means "alert." As a noun, it can also be said to mean "alert" (the
noun). Several on-line dictionaries that can be accessed via
http://www.onelook.com/?w=heads+up&ls=a> offer definitions. Encarta
deals specifically with the noun use:
encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults.aspx?refid=18
61691618>.
I have no idea when "heads up" originated, but war is much older than
baseball. "Heads up" would be good advice when anything from arrows
to mortar shells are raining down.
|
Baseball goes back to pre-revolutionary war America. |
|
| Back to top |
|
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John Dean
Guest
|
| Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 5:03 pm
Post subject: Re: "to give sb a heads-up" (US English) |
|
|
Tony Cooper wrote:
| Quote: | On Sun, 23 Oct 2005 19:33:31 -0400, Robert Lieblich
robert.lieblich@verizon.net> wrote:
ray o'hara wrote:
"Nick Worley" <spam@cornedbeef.com> wrote in message
news:3s1t6vFlnovtU1@individual.net...
I keep hearing the expression "to give sb a heads-up" on the US TV
series "The Shield".
The first time I heard it I did a double-take (I'm English), and
after hearing it a few
times I assume it means something like "to inform sb <of sth>",
"to warn sb <of
sth>".
In the contexts I heard the expression in, the people in question
were being informed/warned of something either serious or
dangerous.
Where does this expression come from? Is it a military expression?
Heads-up is a baseball term.When a foul ball is het in the air and
it is heading towards the fans someone yells "HEADS-UP" to warn
people a ball is coming and to watch out so they don't get hit by
it.
It's used far more widely than that, although it may well have
originated in the context of various sports. As an adjective, it
means "alert." As a noun, it can also be said to mean "alert" (the
noun). Several on-line dictionaries that can be accessed via
http://www.onelook.com/?w=heads+up&ls=a> offer definitions. Encarta
deals specifically with the noun use:
encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults.aspx?refid |
=1861691618>.
| Quote: |
I have no idea when "heads up" originated, but war is much older than
baseball. "Heads up" would be good advice when anything from arrows
to mortar shells are raining down.
|
Tell that to King Harold
--
John Dean
Oxford |
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John Dean
Guest
|
| Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 5:05 pm
Post subject: Re: "to give sb a heads-up" (US English) |
|
|
Tony Cooper wrote:
| Quote: | On 23 Oct 2005 19:56:59 -0700, "Weatherlawyer"
Weatherlawyer@hotmail.com> wrote:
Tony Cooper wrote:
I have no idea when "heads up" originated, but war is much older
than baseball. "Heads up" would be good advice when anything from
arrows to mortar shells are raining down.
I'd have called: "Heads down!" for that sort of thing, were I
alerting others to danger.
"Heads up" means "be alert". It is not an instruction on head
positioning.
You may "get down" because you are alert, but first you must be
alerted to the fact that danger is imminent.
|
Which is why James Brown would never have made a combat soldier - at the
first cry of "Get DOWN!" he would have shouted "OW!" and popped up like
a target at a funfair.
--
John Dean
Oxford |
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|
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ray o'hara
Guest
|
| Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 5:38 am
Post subject: Re: "to give sb a heads-up" (US English) |
|
|
"Tony Cooper" <tony_cooper213@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:tqmol1poob9c38ic77h8f0ho88gamohje5@4ax.com...
| Quote: | On Sun, 23 Oct 2005 22:34:37 -0400, "ray o'hara" <roh@comcast.net
wrote:
"Tony Cooper" <tony_cooper213@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:dq9ol1dkmcqfpsj23rulea5hokprkk3s9a@4ax.com...
On Sun, 23 Oct 2005 19:33:31 -0400, Robert Lieblich
robert.lieblich@verizon.net> wrote:
ray o'hara wrote:
"Nick Worley" <spam@cornedbeef.com> wrote in message
news:3s1t6vFlnovtU1@individual.net...
I keep hearing the expression "to give sb a heads-up" on the US TV
series
"The Shield".
The first time I heard it I did a double-take (I'm English), and
after
hearing it a few
times I assume it means something like "to inform sb <of sth>",
"to
warn
sb
of
sth>".
In the contexts I heard the expression in, the people in question
were
being
informed/warned of something either serious or dangerous.
Where does this expression come from? Is it a military expression?
Heads-up is a baseball term.When a foul ball is het in the air and
it
is
heading towards the fans someone yells "HEADS-UP" to warn people a
ball
is
coming and to watch out so they don't get hit by it.
It's used far more widely than that, although it may well have
originated in the context of various sports. As an adjective, it
means "alert." As a noun, it can also be said to mean "alert" (the
noun). Several on-line dictionaries that can be accessed via
http://www.onelook.com/?w=heads+up&ls=a> offer definitions. Encarta
deals specifically with the noun use:
encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults.aspx?refid=1
8
61691618>.
I have no idea when "heads up" originated, but war is much older than
baseball. "Heads up" would be good advice when anything from arrows
to mortar shells are raining down.
Baseball goes back to pre-revolutionary war America.
ObAue: Is this a non sequitur or an absurdism?
|
The earliest known mention of the sport is in a 1791 Pittsfield,
Massachusetts (United States) town bylaw banning the playing of it within 80
yards of the town meeting house.
the games was known as they refered to it as baseballing, it seems they
were breaking church windows |
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Nick Worley
Guest
|
| Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 12:49 am
Post subject: Re: "to give sb a heads-up" (US English) |
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Thanks for all your interesting replies.
Regards
Nick |
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