Phrase Origins: Where does the saying "there's more than one way to skin a cat" come from?
This grotesque bunch of words is a mystery. Nobody seems to know exactly how the phrase was coined, although everyone agrees on the meaning: there is more than one way to get something done. It is used especially in cases where someone has failed to achieve a goal, and another person suggests tryng again, from a different angle perhaps, by saying, “There is more than one way to skin a cat.”The following is copied from English Language & Usage Stack Exchange—————————————————————————Begin copy: There are many versions of this proverb, which suggests there are always several ways to do something. The earliest printed citation of this proverbial saying that I can find is in a short story by the American humorist Seba Smith - The Money Diggers, 1840:"There are more ways than one to skin a cat," so are there more ways than one of digging for money. Charles Kingsley used one old British form in Westward Ho! in 1855: “there are more ways of killing a cat than choking it with cream”Couldn't find any use of the phrase earlier than the 1840 Money Diggers reference, but I did find some background to which the saying might refer. Apparently the debate on cat-skinning boiled down to whether on not it was done while the cat was still alive. Here's a clip from the disturbing House of Commons' Minutes of Evidence Taken Before Committee on Bill for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 1832:And here's confirmation from The Leisure Hour, 1879, that cats were used for womens' furs, but with a denial they were ever skinned alive:End copy————————————————————————————While the excerpt from English Language & Usage Stack Exchange cites a possibility regarding origin, no relationship between the phrase and anything animal-related has been found. Given the early use of this phrase, it couldn’t have originated in the U.S. deep south, where catfish are often referred to as “cats,” and are skinned before eating.So, having said all that, I haven’t said much of anything. I’m wondering if a mistranslation occurred somewhere along the line.
What's another way of saying "she won't take crap from anybody"?
I'm trying to write a letter of reference and can't seem to think of a nice way of saying that in a sentence... I know there is a word for it. please help
What's your most used phrase?
Actually, I have one on top of my head that I use very frequently and actually, I used that word twice in this sentence itself.And if you were not able to get that, just try to spot a highlighted word there.Now, English is not my first language so I tend to make mistakes while talking or writing and I am fine with where I am in this learning process.Another habit with my English language skills is that, like many Indians I repeat a word many times in conversation, likePlease..please..please… instead of saying it just onceSorry..sorry, sorrylook..look…look…ok….ok...ok..and many moreNote: mentioning all these words three times, doesn’t mean 3 is the magic number, it’s different at different occasion and algorithm to choose that number is completely random
What is another good phrase or way of saying " I done a course" without using the word done?
A race course? A school course?Generally, Americans would say I took the course or I took his Anthropology course or even class. If it felt like a big accomplishment, we might say I completed the course, but that's a little stilted.If it's referring to a race, then it would be I ran the course.
What is another way of saying “if that's the case”?
I originally answered a question asking for alternatives to “this is not the case”:Not trueI disagreeThis is incorrectThat’s wrongThat’s not how it was/is.This is untrueThis is a lieEditNow my answer has been moved to this question, my original response no longer fits.Here are my thoughts on this one:In that case…So, …Ok, so, …In these circumstances, …In this scenario, …Given this scenario, …Subsequently, …Consequently, …
Is there a better way of saying "his/her" & "she/he"?
Five choices (no clear winner though)Use phrases like “(s)he” and “his/her” throughout your writing. Painful to write and read, but you are correct. For example, you will write “When (s)he completes his/her assignment..”.Use “thon” and “thons” - an ancient practice and grammatically correct, but obsolete. No one understands it.Use they, their, and them for 3rd person gender-neutral pronouns - very much in practice, but questioned by English purists. Example: “When they complete their assignment..”.Completely avoid that and start writing in plural or in 2nd person. Instead of writing “When an author tries to use gender-neutral pronouns, he/she finds it hard”, you can say either “when authors try to use gender-neutral pronouns, they find it hard” or “when you try to use gender-neutral pronouns, you find it hard”Don’t bother with gender-neutrality. Just use he or she and not worry about gender-neutrality. For example, just write “When an author tries to use gender-neutral pronouns, he finds it hard” or “When an author tries to use gender-neutral pronouns, she finds it hard”
What does the phrase "two way street" mean?
Literally, it means a street where traffic can flow in both directions. Figuratively, it extends the two way flow to other things. For example: "He wants me to be more understanding of him - but that's a two way street." Meaning that he needs to be more understanding of me as well.
What is another way of saying "She has a good point"?
That's true She has the right idea She's correct She's on the right track She makes an excellent concept That's a very good estimate I like her viewpoint She has a nice suggestion Hope one of these works best for you.
Does the way a question is phrase, insuates anything?
Little johnny and little jimmy were sitting in the kitchen when their dad came in. What would you like for breakfast johnny? dad asked. 'I want a f@%#ing egg' replied johnny Well dad was astonished and he beat johnny severely and sent him to his room 'And what do you want for breakfast Jimmy?' dad asked sternly 'Well I don't want an effin egg that's for sure!'
Why do people say “I’m sorry you feel that way?”
They're saying that they learned the courteous and socially proper way of acknowledging they hurt you without accepting any responsibility for it.That's why they tell you they feel bad for "your" feelings, thereby denying that your feelings represent the truth of the matter but agreeing with you that bad feelings suck. People who say this think they're socially astute however they're actually not because most humans can easily spot disingenuous behavior and being manipulated this way only deepens the original injury.This type of apology only works in customer service or public relations when you are expected to say the most vanilla meaningless thing possible in order to smooth down ruffled feathers and salvage a bad situation.I had a former friend who did something extremely hurtful to me. Had she acknowledged her misstep and apologized I would have forgiven her. However she chose to apologize via the "I'm so sorry you feel that way" route. It was that apology that made me realize she didn't think she did anything wrong, and she wasn't the friend I thought she was if she thought I was too dumb to see through a surface non-apology.Her husband also called me and begged me to forgive his wife for the sake of our "beautiful friendship". He repeated the same "I'm so so sorry you feel that way" phrase. It was like a well-rehearsed attack. I realized then that I could only be friends with someone like her on the most surface level. Which is where it's been for the last 6 years. We see each other at social events and at "couples movie night", and make small talk because we have many mutual friends but I've kept it as distant as possible.