Wall Idioms

Several words have become part of the language in being used in phrases. Last time we looked at ‘bridge’ and now look at ‘wall’.

To give someone the wall is a phrase seen from the 1530s, it describes walking on the wall side of the pavement which, at the time, would have been cleaner.

Nobody went ‘up the wall’ before 1951.

Nothing was described as ‘off the wall’ until 1966.

Not until 1933 did anyone go ‘over the wall’.

Wall Street has described the financial world in the US since 1836. It was the street running along the inside of the defensive wall when New York was New Amsterdam and a Dutch colonial town.

Wall-to-wall is a practical sense has only been in use since 1939; and in the disparaging sense since 1967.

Wall-eyed, a term I have never heard but apparently means ‘speckle-eyed’ (again something I’ve never seen), has been in use since the early 14th century.

Hole in the wall has been a pub name for around three centuries, likely began to refer to a very small place. It was applied to the place where refreshment was handed to coach drivers and guards during the era of the coaching inns, they would also log the time here, too. It was an early reference to an ATM in Britain.

Wallflower, he or she who has no dance partner (unlike me, not always by choice) dates from 1820.

Firewall was originally used to refer to a firefighting defence, first used in 1851, but was reborn in the computer sense in 1990.

Modern builders have referred to a ‘drywall’ since 1952, but the reference to a wall constructed without mortar has been around since 1778.

Wallpaper was coined in 1827 – and hopefully will soon die off completely.

Wallboarding made its debut in 1912.

Stonewall has meant 'to prevent or bar' since the early 18th century.

Face Idioms

Several words have found themselves used in a number of phrases. We looked at 'touch' last time and this time it's 'face'.

Face to face is from as early as the 14th century. This seems odd looking back as, aside from a handwritten letter or a messenger, it was the only means of communication.

Face time appeared as an application on 24 June 2010. The expression came from 20 years earlier, when it meant exactly the same as 'face to face' did. Again, this seems odd for the application is designed to enable two people to chat and see one another without having to be in the same place.

To lose face dates from 1835, a translation of the Chinese tu lien.

To show one's face or put in an appearance dates back as far as the middle of the 14th century.

To make a face, and in the sense of showing disgust or disapproval (not gurning!), is found documented in 1560.

Two faces under one hood is from the middle of the 15th century. Having now fallen out of use, it suggested duplicity.

Face lift, and while nobody had a face lift before 1934, face-lifting is documented from 1922. This is another example of a process, and thus the verb, become a noun.

Face plates did not offer any protection under than name before 1874, prior to that they covered the face and this face plate is simply a guard over something.

Face value originated as a reference to stocks, shares and banknotes and is first attested in 1842.

Face card, otherwise known as a court card, are the King, Queen, Jack in a pack of plying cards. Not known as such until 1826, the name is somewhat inaccurate as three cards (jack of spades, jack of hearts, and king of diamonds) are shown in profile and thus not 'facing' us.

Face off, used in hockey and also lacrosse, is used in a sporting sense from 1867. As this is the means to start (or restart) a contest, it is thought to have a link to stand-off, where the two sides are facing one another without yet competing.

Facebook began online in 2004, but the term existed rather earlier. In 1983, it referred to a directory of college students where names and head and shoulders images of students was made available to help students remember their colleagues.

Po-faced is used to mean 'without expression' and dates from 1934. This can be taken back further to 1893, and a word which is rarely heard today and when 'po' was a dialect pronunciation of 'poor'.

Barefaced, as an adjective, is used to mean 'unconcealed' - we use this today in combinations such as 'barefaced lies' or 'barefaced cheek'. In its earliest appearances it was used to mean 'face uncovered, unshaven' and thus in its most literal sense.

Runaway

Wednesday 6th June 1900 and railway guard Harry Cliff is in his van as the engine is detached for shunting. The train travelling to Walsall stopped at Hammerwich.

With no brake applied, the train began to roll down the incline. Telegraph message sent from Hammerwich to Lichfield City and points turned for the now hurtling wagons and vans sending them into a siding where they impacted with empty cattle trucks. Piled on top, littered all over, Harry Cliff's body was found in the very middle. He was just 40 years of age and lived at Stafford. The runaway train comprised 21 loaded wagons and 9 empties and was travelling at least 50mph. During the search they first spotted his feet and a part of his leg enabling rescuers to find the body fairly quickly.