I've been as concise as I could with the title. Are there any words, phrases or sayings that you sometimes hear - or even use - where you don't really know what the meaning is?
Confess yours here, and help others out of their ignorance.
I'll kick off with one. Old crime dramas often had a villain saying "You got me bang to rights!" I use the phrase all the time, but I haven't a clue what I'm saying. Can anyone help?
Sorry. No that's the word. F**k knows what that means so I'll ask him later.
In the States we say "dead to rights." Therefore, bang = dead if I have my math right.
Quote: DaButt @ March 6 2009, 1:31 AM GMTIn the States we say "dead to rights." Therefore, bang = dead if I have my math right.
Probably, but I still don't understand it.
Quote: DaButt @ March 6 2009, 1:46 AM GMThttp://www.word-detective.com/2008/04/11/dead-to-rights/
Ooh, I like it. Even mentions "a fair cop". You got me dead to rights there DaButt.
Any more, anyone?
I was listening to Phill and Phil's Perfect Ten recently and Mr Jupitus admitted he'd been using the word "ostensibly" for ages without knowing what it actually meant. I have to admit I was unsure too.
The dictionary says:
OSTENSIBLY:
1. outwardly appearing as such; professed; pretended: an ostensible cheerfulness concealing sadness.
2. apparent, evident, or conspicuous: the ostensible truth of their theories.
In the odd time I've used the word, I've meant it in terms of covering something up, so I suppose the first dictionary definition sort of fits. But I was never sure until I looked it up.
There're tons of words I drop into conversations that I really shouldn't, because I'm not entirely positive I'm using them in the right context. This is why if I was ever to meet Stephen Fry I'd probably become conveniently mute.
Ostensibly mute, then.
I tend to use ostensibly instead of "to all intents and purposes".
I always thought it was 'banged to rights' - without much thought. 
Similarly I thought the expression was 'If that's what you think, you've got another thing coming'. Even though I recently found out it was 'You've got another think coming' which actually makes sense, the first still sounds better to me.
Your ones reminded me of others though. I am a cockernee so it may be that - but I also used to hear the expression 'bang on' as in dead right a lot and also we'd say 'What are you banging on about?'. May not be a London thing but I haven't heard that expression in ages and never really wondered before what the 'bang' was all about!
I've just discovered that bang comes from an old Norse word 'banga' which means to hammer something home - which makes sense of some of these.
Seems to be a recent thing (in the UK) to refer to a fringe as 'bangs' which are a result of cutting the hair 'bang off'.I say all this with the utmost conviction of someone who's just spent five minutes googling! Who needs a real education these days? 
Where did the expression "Hell to pay" come from?
How much do you pay and where do you send it?
If you're ever caught out, just make something up and say that "Shakespeare coined the phrase, I can't remember which play off the top of my head."
I bet most people would believe that.
Quote: Afinkawan @ March 6 2009, 9:28 AM GMTIf you're ever caught out, just make something up and say that "Shakespeare coined the phrase, I can't remember which play off the top of my head."
I bet most people would believe that.
And the origins of 'coined the phrase'?
Surely bang to rights reffers to the firm rap of a judge's gavel?
Quote: Jane Perrin @ March 6 2009, 6:15 AM GMTYour ones reminded me of others though. I am a cockernee so it may be that - but I also used to hear the expression 'bang on' as in dead right a lot and also we'd say 'What are you banging on about?'. May not be a London thing but I haven't heard that expression in ages and never really wondered before what the 'bang' was all about!
"Bang on" has got to be relatively simple. Hitting a precise target. As in, with your bow and arrow. So the target would be the correct statement/presumption/etc which the expression is used in regards to.
Quote: sootyj @ March 6 2009, 9:43 AM GMTSurely bang to rights reffers to the firm rap of a judge's gavel?
Almost certainly.
And to the original question: almost all.
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ March 6 2009, 9:40 AM GMTAnd the origins of 'coined the phrase'?
Shakespeare. I can't remember which play it was though.