So, where did that come from?

[alpharaposa]

I have quietly absorbed a lot of interesting colloquialisms over the years. Most people do, I think, though I grew up around people who enjoyed using them.

A while ago, asked my supervisor where a piece of paper went, and she told me we didn't need it anymore. "Ah," I said, "It goes in the circular file!" She laughed; she'd never heard that one before.

Yesterday, I told anher that I'd be staying at work today (Friday) until the last dog is dead... which caused me to wonder where exactly that phrase comes from. A lot of colloquialisms are pretty self evident, but not all of them.

I'm still puzzling over that one. And yes, I'm staying late tonight. Late, late. The kitties will be hungry when I get home.

Comments

last dog is hung

[asl-ninja.livejournal.com]

try a google search on
"last dog is hung"
for example http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/4/messages/1123.html

Re: last dog is hung

[neppyman.livejournal.com]

I found an even older one.

Here are some assorted accounts (do a search on the page for the phrase), and you'll find one going back to the 1840's.

Full quotation:

“I think the time for a man to show himself worthy of the name is when he is in difficulty & for me to give up the ghost (as the saying is) until the Last dog is dead would be acting the coward & not using that Energy which is due from Every man to his family.”

My Google-fu is not turning up an origin for it, though.