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Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

A Way with Words, a radio show and podcast about language and linguistics.

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idiom
marge
1
2008/02/16 - 10:05am
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My dad used to say something was "as tight as Dick's hatband". Now that he is no longer around, I'm wondering exactly where this came from? He was born around 1914 or so.

Martha Barnette
San Diego, CA
820 Posts
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2
2008/02/16 - 10:13am
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Marge, it's a good question, but this is one of those frustrating phrases of unknown origin. It's at least as old as the late 1700's, but we don't know much about where it came from.

Can you give us an example of how your dad used to use it? And where did he grow up?

marge
3
2008/02/16 - 10:36am
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He was born in SC. He often said things like his shoes were tight as dick's hatband. or a bandaid was tight as dick's hatband, the sparks plug in the car were...

Martha Barnette
San Diego, CA
820 Posts
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4
2008/02/16 - 7:43pm
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Love it, love it, Marge! I can just hear it (and in one of those glorious Carolina accents, I'll bet).

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