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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2009Gentiles
The word "Gentile" was used by someone speaking on one of our regional radio stations this morning (BBC Radio Ulster). The topic was the situation in the Gaza Strip seen from a humanitarian point of view. The speaker was an Anglican priest. His connection with the area is via links with the _Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and The Middle East_ which is headed by the Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem. I'm familiar with various uses of the word "gentile" as defined in dictionaries. OED: A. adj. 1. Of or pertaining to any or all of the nations other than the Jewish. {dag}Also absol. used as a collective n. = the Gentiles. b. Similarly, as used by the Mormons: Of or pertaining to any outside the Mormon community. {dag}2. Heathen, pagan. Obs. .... B. n. <nouns equivalent to the above> The anglican priest referred to the people in the Palestine/Israel region as being "Jews, Muslims, Christians and Gentiles". I have not seen Gentile used in that way before.  SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.usage.english) >The word "Gentile" was used by someone speaking on one of our regional radio >stations this morning (BBC Radio Ulster). [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > >I have not seen Gentile used in that way before. My understanding is that it is definition (1), ie an 'us' and 'them' situation. There are Jews, and non-Jews. All who are non-Jews are Gentiles. I'm surprised that an Anglican priest referred to 'Christians' AND 'Gentiles'. I think that most Christians have grown up in the knowledge that they are 'Gentiles'. However, maybe some feel that they don't really belong in same category as Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and the all the other religions of the world. SignatureIan >>The word "Gentile" was used by someone speaking on one of our regional radio >>stations this morning (BBC Radio Ulster). [quoted text clipped - 37 lines] >really belong in same category as Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and the all >the other religions of the world. He used the "Gentiles" without explanation or comment. I detected no suggestion of disparagement. I understood that he used "Gentiles" as a purely descriptive label for those not of one of the Abrahamic faith groups (Jews, Christians and Muslims). SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.usage.english) Peter wrote on Sun, 11 Jan 2009 14:31:33 +0000: >>> The word "Gentile" was used by someone speaking on one of >>> our regional radio stations this morning (BBC Radio Ulster). [quoted text clipped - 41 lines] >> same category as Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and the all the >> other religions of the world. > He used the "Gentiles" without explanation or comment. I > detected no suggestion of disparagement. > I understood that he used "Gentiles" as a purely descriptive > label for those not of one of the Abrahamic faith groups > (Jews, Christians and Muslims). Again, another complication: Mormons refer to non-Mormons as Gentiles and that, I believe, includes Jews. SignatureJames Silverton Potomac, Maryland Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not > Peter wrote on Sun, 11 Jan 2009 14:31:33 +0000: > [quoted text clipped - 53 lines] >Again, another complication: Mormons refer to non-Mormons as Gentiles >and that, I believe, includes Jews. I think it would have been a better usage if he had said, "and other gentiles". Signature************* DAVE HATUNEN (hatunen@cox.net) ************* * Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow * * My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps * On Jan 11, 7:42 am, "James Silverton" <not.jim.silver...@verizon.net> wrote: > Peter wrote on Sun, 11 Jan 2009 14:31:33 +0000: > [quoted text clipped - 50 lines] > > label for those not of one of the Abrahamic faith groups > > (Jews, Christians and Muslims). A very odd one, obsolete as the OED says--and I find it hard to imagine there are many people of non-Abrahamic heritage there (outside diplomatic missions). > Again, another complication: Mormons refer to non-Mormons as Gentiles > and that, I believe, includes Jews. According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentile#Latter-day_Saints_Church_usage 'In order to avoid confrontation and pejorative connotations, Latter- day Saints in the 21st century avoid using the term "Gentile" in everyday matters, preferring "non-member". "Gentile" is usually reserved for discussions of scriptural passages.' (No citation given, but I find it easy to believe.) -- Jerry Friedman On Jan 11, 3:31 pm, "Peter Duncanson (BrE)" <m...@peterduncanson.net> wrote: > On Sun, 11 Jan 2009 13:35:46 +0000, Ian Jackson > [quoted text clipped - 48 lines] > I understood that he used "Gentiles" as a purely descriptive label for those > not of one of the Abrahamic faith groups (Jews, Christians and Muslims). Wonder where the gentleman in question would classify Druze or Baha'i. S in B >On Jan 11, 3:31 pm, "Peter Duncanson (BrE)" <m...@peterduncanson.net> >wrote: [quoted text clipped - 52 lines] > >Wonder where the gentleman in question would classify Druze or Baha'i. Well, the Druzes are Muslims, or not, depending on who you ask. Jews, Christians and Muslims are all Baha'i, if only they would realise it. Baha'i: "One is one and all alone and ever more shall be so." Ooops! Try again. Three core principles establish a basis for Bahá'í teachings and doctrine: the unity of God, the unity of religion, and the unity of humankind. SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.usage.english) >The anglican priest referred to the people in the Palestine/Israel region as >being "Jews, Muslims, Christians and Gentiles". > >I have not seen Gentile used in that way before. Neither have I. I have heard Anglican priests in Zululand use "Gentiles" to refer, semi-jocularly, to non-churchgoers, though. Perhaps he used it similarly to refer to those of no religion, or non-practising members of the religions mentioned. SignatureSteve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk >>The anglican priest referred to the people in the Palestine/Israel region as >>being "Jews, Muslims, Christians and Gentiles". >> >>I have not seen Gentile used in that way before. > >Neither have I. Nor I. >I have heard Anglican priests in Zululand use "Gentiles" to refer, >semi-jocularly, to non-churchgoers, though. > >Perhaps he used it similarly to refer to those of no religion, or >non-practising members of the religions mentioned. Either way he's full of beans. A gentile or Gentile is not necessarily an atheist or even an agnostic, he's simply someone not of your own faith, small g, or not Jewish, capital G. SignatureRegards, Chuck Riggs Near Dublin, Ireland >> Perhaps he used it similarly to refer to those of no religion, or >> non-practising members of the religions mentioned. > > Either way he's full of beans. A gentile or Gentile is not necessarily > an atheist or even an agnostic, he's simply someone not of your own > faith, small g, or not Jewish, capital G. Regarding "he's full of beans": I've always used that phrase to mean "frisky" or "very energetic." I use it especially about children. However, Chuck uses it, apparently, to mean (per www.thefreedictionary.com) "badly mistaken: Don't believe him; he's full of beans." For the "badly mistaken" meaning, I would tend to use "full of [something other than "beans" -- perhaps the "passed tense" of beans]. What does "full of beans" mean to others in the group? SignatureMaria C. >>> Perhaps he used it similarly to refer to those of no religion, or >>> non-practising members of the religions mentioned. [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > >What does "full of beans" mean to others in the group? I agree with you: "full of energy", "bouncy", that sort of thing. I was baffled by Chuck's use, but I assumed there was something obvious that I just wasn't getting. I don't think I've come across the "badly mistaken" sense in BrE. "Passed tense of beans" I like. SignatureKaty Jennison spamtrap: remove the first two letters after the @ >> Regarding "he's full of beans": >> [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > "Passed tense of beans" I like. Thanks. It's probably not new. Nothing ever is. SignatureMaria C. >>> Regarding "he's full of beans": >>> [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > >Thanks. It's probably not new. Nothing ever is. I hope I have explained it satisfactorily, upthread. SignatureRegards, Chuck Riggs Near Dublin, Ireland >>>> Perhaps he used it similarly to refer to those of no religion, or >>>> non-practising members of the religions mentioned. [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > >"Passed tense of beans" I like. Years ago, I picked it up from a friend in Westport, County Mayo. It means, as Maria guessed, "badly mistaken". When I first heard it I thought to myself, "Isn't this just typical: another church-going Irishman who can't bring himself to use foul language". He couldn't say "full of sh.t" nor could he even say "full of shite", to use a popular euphemism. As I later learned, he wasn't particularly religious, but he'd been raised to be a good boy, obedient to what he gathered were the standards of the Church, which is to say he'd been properly brainwashed. What a load of hypocrisy it was and is, as has become apparent to many of us. SignatureRegards, Chuck Riggs Near Dublin, Ireland On 12 Jan 2009, Maria C. wrote >>> Perhaps he used it similarly to refer to those of no religion, >>> or non-practising members of the religions mentioned. [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > What does "full of beans" mean to others in the group? "Energetic" for me -- full of piss and vinegar. Perhaps Chuck was subconsciously dragging in "doesn't amount to a hill of beans"? SignatureCheers, Harvey CanEng and BrEng, indiscriminately mixed > On 12 Jan 2009, Maria C. wrote > [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > Perhaps Chuck was subconsciously dragging in "doesn't amount to a > hill of beans"? I think we discussed this a month or so ago. I am (and was then) on the same side as Chuck, considering "full of beans" as meaning "full of hot air", a "blow-hard", with the concomitant passing of gas unmentioned, though understood. >On 12 Jan 2009, Maria C. wrote >>>> [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] >Perhaps Chuck was subconsciously dragging in "doesn't amount to a >hill of beans"? I presumed that Chuck's usage was along the lines of Full of beans -> Flatulent -> Hot air -> Nothing worthwhile For me 'full of beans', of a person, means lively. Chirpy, even. SignaturePaul >> Maria C. wrote >>>>> Perhaps he used it similarly to refer to those of no religion, >>>>> or non-practising members of the religions mentioned. [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > > For me 'full of beans', of a person, means lively. Chirpy, even. Here's the skinny as M-W puts it: 4 a plural : exuberance -used in the phrase full of beans b plural : nonsense , bunkum -used in the phrase full of beans SignatureSkitt (AmE) It's two, two, two mints in one, certainly >>> Maria C. wrote > [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > 4 a plural : exuberance -used in the phrase full of beans b plural : > nonsense , bunkum -used in the phrase full of beans Well, at least I read your posts, Skitt. Glad you found it. >>> Maria C. wrote > [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] >4 a plural : exuberance -used in the phrase full of beans > b plural : nonsense , bunkum -used in the phrase full of beans That's what it means all right, but the dictionary wording didn't quite reach the heart and soul of the expression. Elsewhere in this thread, I think we achieved that. SignatureRegards, Chuck Riggs Near Dublin, Ireland >> On 12 Jan 2009, Maria C. wrote >>>>> [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > > For me 'full of beans', of a person, means lively. Chirpy, even. I'm of the same kidney: it sets my pulse racing, too. SignatureMike. >>On 12 Jan 2009, Maria C. wrote >>>>> [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] >I presumed that Chuck's usage was along the lines of > Full of beans -> Flatulent -> Hot air -> Nothing worthwhile Now that you mention it, farts are, indeed, what the expression alludes to. >For me 'full of beans', of a person, means lively. Chirpy, even. That would never occur to me, probably because I heard my friend use it the other way so many times. SignatureRegards, Chuck Riggs Near Dublin, Ireland >On 12 Jan 2009, Maria C. wrote > [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] >Perhaps Chuck was subconsciously dragging in "doesn't amount to a >hill of beans"? No, that expression, which I learned much earlier in life and in a different country, derived from American literature, I think. Was it from a Mark Twain story? SignatureRegards, Chuck Riggs Near Dublin, Ireland >>> Perhaps he used it similarly to refer to those of no religion, or >>> non-practising members of the religions mentioned. [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > >What does "full of beans" mean to others in the group? We had a brief discussion about this just a few weeks ago: http://groups.google.co.uk/group/alt.usage.english/msg/df4cb64e210b492c Chcuck said: I'm quite sure it was an expression I picked up from a friend of mine in Westport, Co Mayo when he wanted a weaker expression than "full of shite", to use a slang word popular in Ireland. Chuck appeared to on his own in using that meaning. I use the "lively, etc" meaning, and had never met any other until Chuck's use came along. SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.usage.english) >>>> Perhaps he used it similarly to refer to those of no religion, or >>>> non-practising members of the religions mentioned. [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > I use the "lively, etc" meaning, and had never met any other until > Chuck's use came along. Here's the skinny: >>>>> Perhaps he used it similarly to refer to those of no religion, or >>>>> non-practising members of the religions mentioned. [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > >Here's the skinny: I can't tell if she's lying on her back or on her tummy, she's so skinny. SignatureRegards, Chuck Riggs Near Dublin, Ireland >>>> Perhaps he used it similarly to refer to those of no religion, or >>>> non-practising members of the religions mentioned. [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] >I use the "lively, etc" meaning, and had never met any other until Chuck's use >came along. Without embarrassing him, if possible, I'll let my Westport friend know how often his expression has arisen in our discussions, the next time I talk to him. SignatureRegards, Chuck Riggs Near Dublin, Ireland > Regarding "he's full of beans": > > I've always used that phrase to mean "frisky" or "very energetic." I use > it especially about children. That's the only one I can recall hearing (and I'm almost certain in the UK only, not in the USA). > However, Chuck uses it, apparently, to mean (per > www.thefreedictionary.com) "badly mistaken: Don't believe him; he's full > of beans." > > For the "badly mistaken" meaning, I would tend to use "full of > [something other than "beans" -- perhaps the "passed tense" of beans]. Are you winding us up? SignatureI spend almost as time figuring out what's wrong with my computer as I do actually using it. Networked software, especially, requires frequent updates and maintenance, all of which gets in the way of doing routine work. (Stoll 1995) >> Regarding "he's full of beans": >> [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Are you winding us up? I'm not sure. What exactly does that mean? I'm assuming it's BrE, and that "winding" has the "wind" of "window" (and not the "wind" that rhymes with "lined"). SignatureMaria C. >>> Regarding "he's full of beans": >>> [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] >that "winding" has the "wind" of "window" (and not the "wind" that >rhymes with "lined"). I never thought of it before "Are you winding us up?" means "Are you attempting to play a joke on us?", but in the US if you are "wound up" it means you are angry. I guess we can't take a joke. SignatureTony Cooper - Orlando, Florida >>> For the "badly mistaken" meaning, I would tend to use "full of >>> [something other than "beans" -- perhaps the "passed tense" of [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > I'm not sure. What exactly does that mean? It means a bad joke. > I'm assuming it's BrE, and that "winding" has the "wind" of "window" > (and not the "wind" that rhymes with "lined"). BrE "winding someone up" is pronounced like "winding thread up", but I also had in mind the "passed tense". SignatureNobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public. [Mencken] > >> Are you winding us up? > > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > BrE "winding someone up" is pronounced like "winding thread up", but I > also had in mind the "passed tense". As in the action of winding up a clock with a mainspring, I understood: the degree of tension in the spring that, if relieved suddenly, would result in a rather sudden and unpredictable unwinding was what I understood was being alluded to here in the original phrase. SignatureZhang Dawei: Stoke-on-Trent, UK, and Zhangjiajie, Hunan, China. Use Reply-To field, where this email address is guaranteed to be valid for 2 weeks after the date of message it appears in. [>> Maria C.:] [>>> Adam Funk:] >>>> Are you winding us up? >>> I'm not sure. What exactly does that mean? >> It means a bad joke. I would say it's more like kidding or deliberately provoking someone. There's an element of whooshing in it: the person being wound up is unaware of what's going on, at least at first, or is unable to suppress his reaction. >> [...] >> BrE "winding someone up" is pronounced like "winding thread up", >> but I also had in mind the "passed tense". > As in the action of winding up a clock with a mainspring, I > understood: the > degree of tension in the spring that, if relieved suddenly, would > result in a > rather sudden and unpredictable unwinding was what I understood was > being alluded to here in the original phrase. Yes, or it could be the idea of a mechanical toy: wind it up and see it perform. I think there is an element of control in "wind sb up" that would fit that image. >>>> For the "badly mistaken" meaning, I would tend to use "full of >>>> [something other than "beans" -- perhaps the "passed tense" of [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > It means a bad joke. More specifically, leading someone to believe something untrue for comic effect. If badly done, the victim may ask "is this a wind up?". SignatureOnline waterways route planner: http://canalplan.org.uk development version: http://canalplan.eu >>>>> For the "badly mistaken" meaning, I would tend to use "full of >>>>> [something other than "beans" -- perhaps the "passed tense" of [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > More specifically, leading someone to believe something untrue for comic > effect. If badly done, the victim may ask "is this a wind up?". I didn't mean that "winding up" means "a bad joke"; I meant that I had made a bad joke. SignatureOh, I do most of my quality thinking on the old sandbox. [Bucky Katt] >>> Regarding "he's full of beans": >>> [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] >that "winding" has the "wind" of "window" (and not the "wind" that >rhymes with "lined"). It is BrE although not marked as such in the OED: wind, v.1 24. wind up. f. fig. To set in readiness for action; to raise (feeling) to a high degree; now usually, to put into a state of tension or intensity of --> feeling, etc.; also, to annoy, to provoke deliberately (colloq.); to excite; to brace up; wind-up, n.1 4. A deliberate attempt to wind up or provoke someone by misleading or hoaxing; a trick or practical joke. Also attrib., as wind-up artist, etc. colloq. http://www.peevish.co.uk/slang/w.htm wind-up Verb. 1. To infuriate. Pronounced as in wind up a clock. 2. To tell lies or joke at the expense of the recipient.[1] Noun. An act of lying or joking. wind-up merchant Noun. A person who 'winds-up' regularly. [1] This must be done in the presence of the person being wound up. Telling lies or jokes about a person behind their back is not "winding-up". SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.usage.english) >>>> Regarding "he's full of beans": >>>> [quoted text clipped - 50 lines] > [Telling > lies or jokes about a person behind their back is not "winding-up". How would Righpondians explain to a foreigner the difference between "winding up" and "taking the mickey", please? SignatureRoland Hutchinson Will play viola da gamba for food. NB mail to my.spamtrap [at] verizon.net is heavily filtered to remove spam. If your message looks like spam I may not see it. >>>>> Regarding "he's full of beans": >>>>> [quoted text clipped - 53 lines] >How would Righpondians explain to a foreigner the difference >between "winding up" and "taking the mickey", please? The two meanings overlap, and they will mean different things to different people. To me, myself, personally, this definition of the second fits: take the piss impolite slang. to make fun (of a person, statement, idea, etc.), especially by expressing scorn of the serious or solemn manner in which a person acts or an idea is expressed: "...he...made everyone in the room laugh, took the piss out of the interviewer and himself more than once and was wry throughout" (_Time Out_, 13 Sept 74). "a book about cricket by a man who has never played the game deserves to have the piss taken out of it". Also (colloquial): take the mick(e)y. [Longman Dictionary of English Idioms] "Winding up" is more about control: provoking a desired reaction or behaviour. _Candid Camera_ style pranks come close to the wind-up category. The mental image and analogy I have of wind-ups is of a child's clockwork (wind-up) toy. For instance: http://images.birthdayexpress.com/bexpress/assets/product_images/E5706.jpg You wind it up and it performs energetically in a predictable way. For example, person A considers person B to be irrational and is always provoked and annoyed by any conversation with B. Worse, A is likely to launch into a verbal tirade at the mere mention of B. C says to A "B is in the building and is coming to speak to you in to try to clear up misunderstandings from your conversation yesterday". This triggers A into emitting a vitriolic outburst about B. When A finally runs out of steam, C: "Just joking. B isn't here today." That is a wind-up. While you can take the mickey out of a "statement, idea, etc." none of those can be "wound up". SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.usage.english) [...] >>> It is BrE although not marked as such in the OED: >>> [quoted text clipped - 41 lines] > expressing scorn of the serious or solemn manner in which a person > acts or an idea is expressed:[...] But there's also a non-fun-making sense, which I think applies also to "take the mickey"; this suggests treating with contempt in certain ways. If a political party makes promises during the election campaign and then blatantly does nothing to fulfil them, or does the opposite, it is said to be taking the piss. I've heard it used in a similar way of individuals*, too. E.g., if I owe you a tenner, and you give me another week to pay because I say I haven't got enough this week, and then you learn that I went out on the piss that night, you'd be right to accuse me of taking the piss. *Re another thread, that's what I think of as a good use of "individual". SignatureMike. On 13 Jan, 12:30, "Peter Duncanson (BrE)" <m...@peterduncanson.net> wrote: > >>> Regarding "he's full of beans": > [quoted text clipped - 49 lines] > [1] This must be done in the presence of the person being wound up. Telling > lies or jokes about a person behind their back is not "winding-up". As opposed to "getting the wind up" - in this case "wind" rhyming with "sinned", rather than with "mind" - which means becoming nervous or afraid about something. Mike M >>> Regarding "he's full of beans": >>> [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] >that "winding" has the "wind" of "window" (and not the "wind" that >rhymes with "lined"). Yes, it is BrE. Tony explained it, as is his wont with BrE expressions. SignatureRegards, Chuck Riggs Near Dublin, Ireland > >>> Regarding "he's full of beans": > [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > Yes, it is BrE. Tony explained it, as is his wont with BrE > expressions. It's familiar and natural to this American. A more strictly BrE turn of phrase with similar meaning might be "taking the piss". I also take "wound up" to mean "tense" rather than "angry". And I've heard and used "full of beans" to mean "full of energy", but never "full of crap". > > >> Are you winding us up? > > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > It's familiar and natural to this American. I've heard it, but mostly on the British version of "The Office". Brian SignatureIf televison's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who won't shut up. -- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com) > > Are you winding us up? > > I'm not sure. What exactly does that mean? I'm assuming it's BrE, and > that "winding" has the "wind" of "window" (and not the "wind" that > rhymes with "lined"). What no one has mentioned is that there is a similar yet different phrase where the "wind" is pronounced as in "window." Evan Morris, Word Detective: ... "Put the wind up," meaning "to alarm or make nervous," as well as its close cousin "to get the wind up" (to become alarmed), both date to just after World War I, and are more often heard in the UK than in the US. The origin of the phrases apparently lies in the armed services slang of WWI ("Shells so close that they thoroughly put the wind up a Life Guardsman in the trench with me," Wilfred Owen, 1918). But both phrases are still very popular, as can be seen in a recent headline from the UK-based technical website The Register, reporting on US alarm at the theft of a UK government computer containing various secrets: "MoD laptop thefts put the wind up the US." Evidently, the origin of "put the wind up" is considered a bit of a mystery. The Oxford English Dictionary is silent on the matter, and most of my reference works don't even mention the phrase. ... [End Evan Morris excerpt] SignatureBest -- Donna Richoux >> > Are you winding us up? >> [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > >[End Evan Morris excerpt] Eric Partridge ventures the following: "Perhaps ex the early days of aviation, when wind, if at all strong, precluded flight." Or perhaps not. James >> > Are you winding us up? >> [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > >[End Evan Morris excerpt] The OED is still silent on the origin but has an earlier quote: to get the wind up (slang): to get into a state of alarm or funk. So to put the wind up (a person). 1916 P. GIBBS Battles of Somme xxii. 172 It was obvious that the blinking Boche had got the wind up. SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.usage.english) >>> Perhaps he used it similarly to refer to those of no religion, or >>> non-practising members of the religions mentioned. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >I've always used that phrase to mean "frisky" or "very energetic." I use >it especially about children. That's certainly how I understand it. SignatureSteve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk >>> Perhaps he used it similarly to refer to those of no religion, or >>> non-practising members of the religions mentioned. [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] >For the "badly mistaken" meaning, I would tend to use "full of >[something other than "beans" -- perhaps the "passed tense" of beans]. Nice one, Maria. >What does "full of beans" mean to others in the group? Energetic to me too. SignatureJohn [...] >>What does "full of beans" mean to others in the group? > > Energetic to me too. Me too. I've never ever heard it used to mean "badly mistaken". SignatureLes (BrE) >[...] > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > >Me too. I've never ever heard it used to mean "badly mistaken". Now you have. Like you, I learn something new every day. SignatureRegards, Chuck Riggs Near Dublin, Ireland >> Regarding "he's full of beans": >> [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Nice one, Maria. Thank you very much, sir. As I already mentioned (in another reply), it's probably not new but I'd never heard it before. SignatureMaria C. |
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