HUMBUG.
m —— When you say that something is "all humbug." do you know what you mean 1 This expression bad it* origin during a Continental war, when many false reports were circulated in Hamburg. It became customary for anyone wishing to signify his disbelief of a statement to say, That is Hamburg," and so the word ■'humbug" found its way into our language. When we say that something is "not worth a ra.p,"' mosit of us imagine that reference is made to a rap of the knuckles. The real origin of the phrase dates from the time of George 1., when the "rap" was a counterfeit coin which was frequently passed off for a halfpenny but which was really worth nothWhen we speak of a "baker's dozen" «c are recalling the time when baker* were fined so heavily for giving short weight that they threw in an extra loaf in order to be on the safe side.
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Bibliographic details
Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 3, 5 January 1922, Page 7
Word Count
157HUMBUG. Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 3, 5 January 1922, Page 7
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