Can you explain this?

[lewdyan1]

I was talking to ML and I used the saying "Close but no cigar"...but I don't even know what it means...any ideas?

 

[lisajl]

I believe it's a throw back to the old carnival days. You know some of the games that could be played and you might win a cigar. Hence the close (to winning), but no cigar.
At least that is what my father told me.

 

[Samantha]

I believe it's a throw back to the old carnival days. You know some of the games that could be played and you might win a cigar. Hence the close (to winning), but no cigar.
At least that is what my father told me.

I've heard the same thing from my grandfather. My how times have changed! Can you imagine winning a cigar now as a prize??

 

[Zandy595]

How about "saved by the bell"? I know what it means, does anyone else?

 

[lewdyan1]

Other than being a lame TV show, haven't a clue!

 

[Zandy595]

Graveyard Shift * Saved By The Bell * Dead Ringer

England is old and small, so about 1500 they started running out
of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and
would take the bones to a 'bone house' and reuse the grave.
When reopening these coffins, one out of 25 coffins were found to
have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been
buring people alive. So they thought they would tie a string on the
wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through
the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in
the graveyard all night 'graveyard shift' to listen for the bell; thus,
someone could be 'saved by the bell' or was considered a 'dead ringer'.

 

[kaylajr]

England is old and small, so about 1500 they started running out
of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and
would take the bones to a 'bone house' and reuse the grave.
When reopening these coffins, one out of 25 coffins were found to
have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been
buring people alive. So they thought they would tie a string on the
wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through
the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in
the graveyard all night 'graveyard shift' to listen for the bell; thus,
someone could be 'saved by the bell' or was considered a 'dead ringer'.

not a job i would have wanted

 

[ddavis860]

Graveyard Shift * Saved By The Bell * Dead Ringer

Wow, I never knew that...interesting...thanks

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

"Bob's Your Uncle"

Queenie could explain this one or anyone else from England. It's a personal favorite of mine but no one in the US gets it.

 

[lisajl]

"Bob's Your Uncle"

Queenie could explain this one or anyone else from England. It's a personal favorite of mine but no one in the US gets it.

Yea I would like to know that too! BTW, what is the rest of that saying...something like Myrtles your aunt?

 

[Talking Hands]

How about "saved by the bell"? I know what it means, does anyone else?

From boxing when a boxer is knocked down and they have the count but the bell to end the count happens before the count ends. So the boxer was saved by the bell. Means came close to disaster