The new trivia thread.
- Thread starter Ceiling Cat
- Start date
What does the expression The cat is in the bag mean?
You were ripped off and got a dead cat fer yer supper and not a rabbit.
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hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm pussy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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This lesser known expression is related to the better known expressions "pig in a poke" and "let the cat out of the bag".
In medieval markets, pigs (or more commonly piglets) were stuffed into sacks (called pokes) to keep them from running all over the place. Some merchants would attempt to fake out customers by substituting something less valuable (like a cat) for the piglet in the bag. For this reason, people were warned not to buy a piglet in a sack (pig in a poke) sight unseen. Instead, they should open the bag to confirm the contents. If you "let the cat out of the bag" you were exposing the merchant's secret attempt to rip you or others off. If you didn't catch on to the scam, you'd leave with what you thought was a pig but, in actual fact, "the cat is in the bag" - you were ripped off.
It's not that rare. It happens once every 2½ years or so. The actual period is variable, depending on whether or not a leap year or three February s are relevant.
Kind of what I meant by saying rabbit, but your answer is more precise.
cats are a poor substitute for most things :biggrin1: , however Pussy, thats another story.
GB should go home now.
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The French Foreign legion is part of the military of France, why is it called the foreign legion.
I do not think that saying the cat is in the bag means the same as a pig in a poke. When someone says the cat is in the bag, they usually mean that something is a sure thing, a pig in the poke mean that you are buying something without examining it first. Anyways the question is, what is the origin of the expression?
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Metal ring, called a monkey, holds a pyramid of cannonballs in place on a warship.
At one point they started to make them out of brass (so they wouldn't fuse together with the balls from the salt in the sea air).
When it got too cold, the brass ring, monkey, would shrink a bit and the cannonball pyramid would fall off.
