Category: Idioms

Idioms are expressions with greater meaning. Phrases like "nick of time" or "in other words" or "for heaven's sake". Definition: a group of words in a fixed order that have a particular meaning that is different from the meanings of each word understood on its own:

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Dishing Out the History of Dish Pan Hands

Palmolive dishwashing liquid with Marge

Introduction:

In the realm of idioms, some expressions evoke vivid images that perfectly capture the essence of everyday struggles. One such idiom is “dish pan hands,” which refers to hands that have become rough and dry due to prolonged exposure to water, soap, and cleaning detergents. In this blog post, we will explore the origin and usage of this idiom, along with some interesting tidbits centered around the number three. So, roll up those sleeves and let’s dive into the history of dish pan hands!

The Origin:

The term “dish pan hands” emerged during World War II when women had to spend countless hours doing household chores, including washing dishes by hand. This labor-intensive task, performed without the aid of protective gloves or advanced dishwashing products, often left their hands red, chapped, and rough to touch. The idiom quickly gained popularity and has since become synonymous with the toll that manual dishwashing can take on one’s hands.

Wearing gloves

Groupings of Three:

  1. The Three Steps of Dish Washing: Wet, Scrub, Rinse
    The process of hand dishwashing can be broken down into three essential steps: wetting the dishes, scrubbing them to remove grime, and rinsing them thoroughly. It’s no wonder that these repeated motions can lead to dish pan hands if performed regularly without proper care.
  2. Three Culprits Leading to Dish Pan Hands: Water, Soap, Detergents
    Water, soap, and detergents are the three primary culprits responsible for the development of dish pan hands. Continuous exposure to these elements contributes to the leaching of natural oils from the skin, leading to dryness, irritation, and ultimately, dish pan hands.
  3. Three Ways to Combat Dish Pan Hands: Moisturize, Protect, Pamper
    Fortunately, there are three proactive measures that can help alleviate or prevent dish pan hands. Regularly moisturizing the hands with a rich, nourishing lotion, using protective gloves while doing household chores, and treating the hands to indulgent pampering sessions with hydrating masks or hand creams can help rejuvenate the skin.
Madge with Palmolive
“Palmolive softens hands while you do dishes”

Conclusion:

“Dish pan hands” perfectly captures the physical toll that manual dishwashing can take on hands. The idiom’s origin during World War II reflects the arduous tasks women undertook during that time. While advancements in dishwashing technology have made our lives easier, the idiom still holds relevance today.

Remember, dish pan hands can be prevented by taking proactive steps like moisturizing, wearing protective gloves, and giving your hands the love and care they deserve. So, next time you’re at the sink, spare a thought for your hardworking hands and give them the pampering they need.

And that concludes our exploration into the history and significance of dish pan hands. Until next time, keep those hands moisturized and dish pan hands at bay!

The Book of Threes

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[Partial Photo source: Palmolive detergent ad 1974]

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Vis-à-vis | face to face

VisAVis

Dictionary

adverb archaic

in a position facing a specified or implied subject: he was there vis-à-vis with Miss Arundel.

noun (plural same)

1 a person or group occupying a corresponding position to that of another person or group in a different area or domain; a counterpart: his admiration for the US armed services extends to their vis- à-vis, the Russian military.

2 a face-to-face meeting: the dreaded vis-à- vis with his boss.

USAGE

The expression vis-à-vis literally means

‘face to face.’ Avoid using it to mean ‘about, concerning, as in he wanted to talk to me vis-à-vis next weekend. In the sense ‘in contrast, comparison, or relation to,’ however, vis-à-vis is generally acceptable: let us consider government regulations vis-à- vis employment rates.

ORIGIN

mid 18th century: French, literally ‘face to face’, from Old French vis ‘face’.

As a preposition, vis-à-vis is used to compare things. So, if you want to compare the food you’ve eaten today with the calories you burned working out, you might talk about your caloric intake vis-à-vis caloric expenditure. You can also use it to say that you’re facing something or are opposite something.

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old college try

old college try

Noun. old college try (plural old college tries) (informal) A vigorous, committed attempt or effort, often in the context of a nearly hopeless situation where failure is expected. Source

Origin

The expression give it the old college try came not from the college campus, but from the baseball diamond. At the turn of the century, a player was said to give it the old college try when attempting to make a play like a heroic attempt at catching a fly ball that was very far out of the player’s reach. Source

A wild and desperate attempt to make a play. Sometimes the term carries a hint of showboating.

Babe Ruth (Babe Ruth’s Own Book of Baseball, 1928) defined “giving it the old college try” as “playing to the grandstand or making strenuous effort to field a ball that obviously cannot be handled.”

The term was quickly applied to any effort with limited chances of success.

Old College Try | Family Guy

From The New Dickson Baseball Dictionary (1999) by Paul Dickson.

In a column that appeared in the Columbus (Ohio) Citizen (Nov. 26, 1927) and was quoted in American Speech (Apr. 1930), Billy Evans wrote that “I gave it the old college try” is a term “often used in big league baseball, when some player keeps on going after a fly ball, usually in foul territory, with the odds about ten to one he would never reach it. Teammates of such a player often beat him to it by shouting in unison with the thought of humor uppermost: ‘Well, kid, you certainly gave it the old college try,’ as he falls short of making the catch. When some player does something that a professional player might not ordinarily attempt, such as colliding with a fielder who had the ball ready to touch him out, in the hope that he might make him drop the ball, regardless of the danger he was courting, someone is sure to say, often ironically, if the speaker happens to be one of the players in the field: ‘That’s the old college spirit.'”
by akkartik April 10, 2009