What is the origin of the expression "close, but no cigar"?
Feb 24, 2013 · Coney Island offered many such games in the early 1900s. Most people did not win a prize; for them, the carnival barker would declare: “Close, but no cigar!” “Close, but no …
pronunciation - Why do English-speaking children mispronounce ...
Aug 15, 2019 · To be honest, I've not noticed any tendency for children in particular to have problems articulating the word spaghetti, but it's nowhere near a "native" English word …
etymology - Who's 'she', the cat's mother? - English Language
Jul 28, 2017 · And what better lower creature, than one the child would be most familiar with such as a house dog or cat (e.g. rat, mouse, or possibly horse, cow, pig, goat might have been …
idioms - The conflicting origin of a “piece of cake” - English …
Feb 18, 2018 · The following question, Idiom origins: "Piece of cake" and "Walk in the park" and "Close, no cigar"? is related but was closed for lack of research and also I suspect for being …
What is the etymology of "close" as a description of the weather, …
Jan 18, 2018 · The use of “close” as an adjective to describe hot, stifling weather (or the hot stale atmosphere in a house or room) comes from the sense of a house or room completely “closed …
Origin and evolution of the proverb "A closed mouth catches no …
Apr 25, 2023 · Close mouth catches no flies. A (Into a shut mouth flies fly not). 1599 MINSHEU Span. Gram. 83 In a closed vp mouth a flie cannot get in. Note: John Minsheu (or Minshew) …
What is the contrastive phrase of "little to no"?
Feb 8, 2015 · "little to no effort" is common because of the potentially for pedantry when it comes to claiming no effort whatsoever. Consider the exchange where a teacher says a child put in …
To "close the circle" or not to "close the circle"...?
May 28, 2015 · My first idea was to write "Closing the circle", however the phrase can also be understood as a way to "end" things, or to signify that nothing has been gained or no progress …
Difference between Approximate and Proximate? - English …
Sep 1, 2015 · If you said the stick was proximate to my eye, that would mean the stick is physically close to my eye. Both are usually adjectives, but can also be verbs. However …
idioms - Close to home = quite accurate? - English Language
Apr 14, 2012 · "Close to home" is a tricky phrase that dips into several extended meanings depending on context: Ouch, that hits a little close to home. The primary usage is that a joke, …