On the R4 programme they said that's become the folklore of the meaning but there is no
historical evidence to support it. It's much more likely to have come from a 'bucket' being a 500 year old dialect word for beam. A person would string their animal up to this 'bucket' before slaughtering it and the animal would kick it as it was dying.
On the programme they described this as an 'iconic action' which often becomes an idiom. Other egs are 'bury the hatchet (native American peace gesture) and 'throw in the towel' (from boxing).
It's an interesting listen. It was mainly about how modern idioms have entered the language. 'Park the bus' for example is from where Mourinho translated a Portuguese idiom.
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Posted By: Bravo win or die on February 15th 2022 at 09:51:05
Message Thread
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- yes, she should have used "slide rule pass" (n/m) (General Chat) - Tombs, Feb 15, 12:45:50
- I also find that rather inaccurate (General Chat) - camcan, Feb 15, 14:48:26
- i did consider that but i was able to reconcile it with a literal pass (General Chat) - Tombs, Feb 15, 15:25:10
- I also find that rather inaccurate (General Chat) - camcan, Feb 15, 14:48:26
- yes, she should have used "slide rule pass" (n/m) (General Chat) - Tombs, Feb 15, 12:45:50
- Of course the original 3 pence piece was the size of a shilling (General Chat) - watfordcanary, Feb 15, 11:26:27
- 3 pence piece? Oh dear. (n/m) (General Chat) - watfordcanary, Feb 15, 12:54:11
- And you could use 5p in German fag machines. Bonus. (n/m) (General Chat) - APB, Feb 15, 11:40:43
- Maybe she was speaking literally (n/m) (General Chat) - Ken Dodds Dads Dog, Feb 15, 11:10:29
- Wasn't it 'turn on a sixpence' originally (General Chat) - camcan, Feb 15, 11:50:40
- In old money only works in a very few situations (General Chat) - watfordcanary, Feb 15, 10:46:04
- it is thought it refers to using a bucket (General Chat) - ghostof barry butler, Feb 15, 09:27:06
- On the R4 programme they said that's become the folklore of the meaning but there is no (General Chat) - Bravo win or die, Feb 15, 09:51:05
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- suspect it is a holdover from when suicide was illegal (General Chat) - CWC, Feb 15, 10:56:22
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- That's interesting, thanks (n/m) (General Chat) - Bravo win or die, Feb 15, 09:53:47
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- That's cheery! (n/m) (General Chat) - jamesward, Feb 15, 09:29:05
- well people do say , someones kicked the bucket when (General Chat) - ghostof barry butler, Feb 15, 09:40:01
- On the R4 programme they said that's become the folklore of the meaning but there is no (General Chat) - Bravo win or die, Feb 15, 09:51:05
- the other night on the sky tv someone was doing a footy comms report back to the studio (General Chat) - Tombs, Feb 15, 10:59:58
- Mind you, some have just hung around and become part of the language (General Chat) - Bravo win or die, Feb 15, 08:55:13
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