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Mr_jim
05-06-2005, 10:30 PM
Can anybody tell me the ‘origin ‘ & meaning of following Americal Slang phrased & sentences:

1>Fat chance.
2>Table a motion.
3>Easy does it.
4>For Pete’s sake.
5>Go ahead & make my day.
6>Here we go.
7>No way Jose.
8>Cough up.
9>Get the axe.
10> Get the axe.
11> Give your best shot.
12> In the hole.
13>lemon.
14>Out on limb.
15>Snow job.

Pete
05-07-2005, 07:19 PM
-- I'll try to say what I know or think; in most cases, I won't know the origin of the phrase. If I have a chance later to try to do some research and find some answers, I'll post again.

1>Fat chance. == What was just said is very unlikely.
2>Table a motion. == (In parliamentary procedure, used to carry on the business at meetings--) Postpone action on a proposal until a later meeting.
3>Easy does it. == Don't make sudden motions or intense statements.
4>For Pete’s sake. == This is an exclamation showing exasperation.
5>Go ahead & make my day. == (This is a line from a "Dirty Harry" Clint Eastwood movie--) Carry out your threat; I'll enjoy punishing you for doing it.)
6>Here we go. == We are ready to begin.
7>No way Jose. == No. Or: That's not true. The rhyme makes it a "light" way to disagree.
8>Cough up. == (Literal--) Cough to make phlegm or an obstruction come up from your throat. (Figurative--) Produce whatever we are looking for.
9>Get the axe. == Be fired (dismissed) from a job.
10> Get the axe. (See #9.)
11> Give your best shot. == (When we are disagreeing.) Say/Do the strongest thing you can (or hit me as hard as you can); then I'll respond similarly to you. (The presumption is that the speaker implies that he will come out ahead in the exchange.)
12> In the hole. == Less than zero. (Often said of a score in a game that allows negative scores; sometimes use to say that someone owes money instead of having money.
13>lemon. == Something that doesn't work right (said because a real lemon is sour). Often used for a car that has many mechanical problems, sometimes for other machinery.
14>Out on limb. == In a situation where you could easily get caught or have problems from which you could not escape. Often said when you do something for someone and if they don't later fulfill their part of the deal, you will be in trouble.
15>Snow job. == Attempting to get one's way either with excessive charm (maybe flattery) or by giving a great deal of (mostly irrelevant) information.