Phrases we still use that no longer make sense

Reverend Conehead

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In Titanic, elderly Rose says, "Wasn't I a dish?" to mean "Wasn't I a babe?" I'm not sure how "dish" came to mean someone was good looking or if it applied to only women or both sexes. It must refer to some kind of meaning that has gone away. Maybe it refers to a good looking person reflected in a shiny, new dish. Anyone know?
 

Runwildboys

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CowboysZone DIEHARD Fan
In Titanic, elderly Rose says, "Wasn't I a dish?" to mean "Wasn't I a babe?" I'm not sure how "dish" came to mean someone was good looking or if it applied to only women or both sexes. It must refer to some kind of meaning that has gone away. Maybe it refers to a good looking person reflected in a shiny, new dish. Anyone know?
I've only ever heard it used about women, and I'd assume it's meant to say she's "tasty".
 

Londonboy

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In Titanic, elderly Rose says, "Wasn't I a dish?" to mean "Wasn't I a babe?" I'm not sure how "dish" came to mean someone was good looking or if it applied to only women or both sexes. It must refer to some kind of meaning that has gone away. Maybe it refers to a good looking person reflected in a shiny, new dish. Anyone know?
It's derived from dishy, which is an olde English word for attractive.
There is a Mills and Boone novel called "Seduced by Dr Dishy", I shelved a stack of ;'em yesterday at work.
 

timb2

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CORTEX---the outer layer of the cerebrum (the cerebral cortex), composed of folded gray matter and playing an important role in consciousness.

I hear that Occasional Cortex is the New Age and is rotting of one's mind with figments of delusion and paranoia. Symptoms consist of making up fuzzy math that doesn't add up and thinking the world is going to end and dancing like a nitwit.
 

Reverend Conehead

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In the 19th century and very early 20th, a machine that flies would be called a "flying machine." The word "airplane" had not been invented yet.
 

Ranched

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CORTEX---the outer layer of the cerebrum (the cerebral cortex), composed of folded gray matter and playing an important role in consciousness.

I hear that Occasional Cortex is the New Age and is rotting of one's mind with figments of delusion and paranoia. Symptoms consist of making up fuzzy math that doesn't add up and thinking the world is going to end and dancing like a nitwit.
:muttley::thumbup:
 

Londonboy

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Must be a London/English thing, never heard either of those up here.
You Guys have Your own unique language/slang, My 1st ever flat was shared with a Glaswegian and a Scouser, We used to take turns confusing each other.
 
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