pronunciation - Is forte pronounced fort or for-tay? - English . . . 57 If you want to be perfectly and unimpeachably correct, you will pronounce the word forte, meaning something that is one’s strong point, identically to the word fort, and reserve the FOR-tay pronunciation only for the musical term
Where does the phrase hold down the fort come from? I agree the original should be 'hold the fort' and 'hold down…' looks like an aberration Is it too much to speculate that 'hold down…' could have come from a land-lubbers variation on something like 'make all secure and batten down the hatches!" where the security is against the weather, not a human enemy?
Is forth and back more proper than back and forth? "Back and forth" is the more correct idiom, because, well, that's the idiom There's nothing to stop you from saying "forth and back" — a little voice is repeating the subtitle to The Hobbit, which is There and Back Again, to me — but you won't be using the English idiom, you'll merely be speaking words
etymology - What is the origin of the phrase forty winks, meaning a . . . William Kitchiner M D (1775–1827) was an optician, inventor of telescopes, amateur musician and exceptional cook His name was a household word during the 19th century, and his Cook’s Oracle was a bestseller in England and America Wikipedia The phrase forty winks, meaning a short nap, can be traced back to Dr Kitchiner's 1821 self-help guide, The Art of Invigorating and Prolonging Life
Whats the difference between to and fro and back and forth? In the example you cite, to and fro is essentially identical in meaning to back and forth However, to and fro can also carry the less specific sense of ‘moving about in different directions,’ similar to here and there, as in The lambs frolicked to and fro on the grassy hill To and fro is alive and well in present-day English usage, but it sounds somewhat antiquated and may seem unduly
What is the origin of the term ginger for red-headed people? I'd like to know the etymology of the word "ginger" in reference to red-headed people In particular, if "ginger" in this context is related to the plant root used in cooking, I'd like to know how
idioms - Whats another word for agreeing with another person just for . . . Also, in this case, the example doesn't quite work, because it is a matter of opinion, which is not a "right wrong" matter Neither party could reasonably accuse the other of being wrong for preferring one sport over another They just like what they like If the disagreement were over something factual and not just subjective, it might apply though