Comments on: Whitleather, tough as http://www.word-detective.com/2010/04/whitleather-tough-as/ Semper Ubi Sub Ubi Wed, 20 Mar 2013 19:32:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: JO ETTA JOHNSON http://www.word-detective.com/2010/04/whitleather-tough-as/comment-page-1/#comment-45739 JO ETTA JOHNSON Mon, 26 Nov 2012 18:58:22 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=3130#comment-45739 Yep! Heard this term all my life (I'm 67), but never knew its origin until today. Thanks!!! Yep! Heard this term all my life (I’m 67), but never knew its origin until today. Thanks!!!

]]> By: TEDD CARMICHAEL http://www.word-detective.com/2010/04/whitleather-tough-as/comment-page-1/#comment-36957 TEDD CARMICHAEL Wed, 28 Mar 2012 21:12:27 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=3130#comment-36957 I AM 87 YEARS OLD, AND MY MAMA USED THIS TERM EVERY TIME WE HAD MEAT FOR DINNER THAT WAS NOT TO HER LIKING. I NEVER KNEW WHAT IT MEANT, AND I DOUBT MAMA DID EITHER. BUT TODAY, AT LAST, WHEN THE TERM CAME TO MIND, I LOOKED IT UP. NOW MY MIND'S AT EASE. I AM 87 YEARS OLD, AND MY MAMA USED THIS TERM EVERY TIME WE HAD MEAT FOR DINNER THAT WAS NOT TO HER LIKING. I NEVER KNEW WHAT IT MEANT, AND I DOUBT MAMA DID EITHER. BUT TODAY, AT LAST, WHEN THE TERM CAME TO MIND, I LOOKED IT UP. NOW MY MIND’S AT EASE.

]]> By: cyranorox http://www.word-detective.com/2010/04/whitleather-tough-as/comment-page-1/#comment-4817 cyranorox Thu, 13 May 2010 19:50:44 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=3130#comment-4817 is it not the root of the other euphemism, 'pussy', via Cockney rhyming slang? ie, 'T---, T---, pussy cat'?compare Fork, Fork, Duke of York ; fork= hand ,and Duke becomes the word for hand or usually fist. is it not the root of the other euphemism, ‘pussy’, via Cockney rhyming slang? ie, ‘T—, T—, pussy cat’?compare Fork, Fork, Duke of York ; fork= hand ,and Duke becomes the word for hand or usually fist.

]]> By: admin http://www.word-detective.com/2010/04/whitleather-tough-as/comment-page-1/#comment-3256 admin Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:10:25 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=3130#comment-3256 Sure, but I should warn folks that the answer is "not safe for work," i.e., contains content that some may find offensive. See <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pippa_Passes" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Wikipedia</a> and <a href="http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/001814.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Language Log</a>. Sure, but I should warn folks that the answer is “not safe for work,” i.e., contains content that some may find offensive.

See Wikipedia and Language Log.

]]> By: Harold Russell http://www.word-detective.com/2010/04/whitleather-tough-as/comment-page-1/#comment-3249 Harold Russell Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:17:27 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=3130#comment-3249 This will betray the large gaps in my literary education - but I am not familiar with the Robert Browning anecdote mentioned above. Would you be so kind as to enlighten me? This will betray the large gaps in my literary education – but I am not familiar with the Robert Browning anecdote mentioned above. Would you be so kind as to enlighten me?

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