Where did the saying off the top of my head come from?

Where did the saying off the top of my head come from?

This idiom originated in American in the mid-1900s. People typically say this before sharing their initial reaction to something, a rough estimate of a figure, or their first ideas.

Can't think of anything off the top of my head?

Elliott Smith Quotes. I can't think of anything off the top of my head that seems more important than something designed to raise money to keep something going that keeps IV drug users from dying.

What does from the top of my head mean?

If you say something off the top of your head, you say it without thinking about it much before you speak, especially because you do not have enough time. It was the best I could think of off the top of my head. See full dictionary entry for top. You may also like.

What does more than meets the eye mean?

: more (to something) than there appears to be at first There is more to this proposal than meets the eye.

Who said there is more than meets the eye?

W.H. Auden

Why do we say Mum's the word?

"Mum's the word" means to keep silent or quiet. Mum is a Middle English word meaning 'silent', and may be derived from the mummer who acts without speaking. Note the similar English word "mime" (Old English "mīma", Latin "mimus") meaning silent actor or imitator.

What does make no bones about it mean?

: to be very sure and definite about (something) Make no bones about the seriousness of the matter. He made no bones about his plans to cut expenses.

What does I have a bone to pick with you mean?

Having a “bone to pick with someone” means having a grievance that needs to be talked out: “I have a bone to pick with you, Wallace; I heard how you criticized me at the meeting last night.”

What does the idiom no dice mean?

No dice, from the 1920s, alludes to an unlucky throw in gambling; no go, alluding to lack of progress, dates from about 1820; and no soap dates from about 1920 and possibly alludes to the phrase it won't wash, meaning “it won't find acceptance.” Also see nothing doing; won't wash.

Why is it close but no cigar?

The expression, “Close, but no cigar” means that a person fell slightly short of a successful outcome and therefore gets no reward. ... The phrase most likely originated in the 1920s when fairs, or carnivals, would hand out cigars as prizes. At that time, the games were targeted towards adults, not kids.

What does the idiom know the ropes mean?

phrase. If you know the ropes, you know how a particular job or task should be done.