英语词汇horsefeathers的起源、历史背景-英语词源词典

horsefeathers! As a euphemism for “horseshit!” this word has been around at least since 1925. It may or may not be relat- ed to the term horsefeathers once used in carpentry, these horsefeathers being the feathering strips used in roofing and siding houses. Because they are big feathering strips, they may have been called horse feathers (like horseradish, etc.), but how these horse feathers came to be a euphemism for “horse- shit!” is not clear—unless it came easily to some roofer’s tongue when he had half-said “horseshit!” and a lady abruptly ap- peared upon the scene. On the other hand, horse-feathers may have first been a synonym for “nonsense,” originating with a saying such as, “That’s nonsense, that’s like saying horses have feathers!”

词汇	horsefeathers
词源	horsefeathers! As a euphemism for “horseshit!” this word has been around at least since 1925. It may or may not be relat- ed to the term horsefeathers once used in carpentry, these horsefeathers being the feathering strips used in roofing and siding houses. Because they are big feathering strips, they may have been called horse feathers (like horseradish, etc.), but how these horse feathers came to be a euphemism for “horse- shit!” is not clear—unless it came easily to some roofer’s tongue when he had half-said “horseshit!” and a lady abruptly ap- peared upon the scene. On the other hand, horse-feathers may have first been a synonym for “nonsense,” originating with a saying such as, “That’s nonsense, that’s like saying horses have feathers!”
随便看	clam chowder clam up claptrap claque clarabell the clown clarence claret clarkia class classic classical clatter clausewitz clavicle clay-eater clay pigeon clean as a peeled egg clean as a whistle clean heart cleanliness is next to godliness clean one-s plow cleanse the augean stables clean sweep clean up cleanup spot