10 March 2009

Pete Who?

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Two random thoughts that just popped into my non-stop brain :
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When we say, "Oh, for Pete's sake!", who is Pete?
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Why do I always cut my leg shaving on the very last stroke?
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That's all - just thought I'd share!
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7 comments:

JuliaB said...

Who's Gordon Bennet for that matter?! x

Mrs Jelly said...

Thanks to Stephen Fry and the QI team, I actually know who Gordon Bennett was :
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/gordon-bennett.html

Kitty said...

Hi Mrs Jelly - sorry for not replying to the email - I will soon, I promise.

As for Pete ... I dunno. Maybe it's 'For peat's sake' and something to do with our Irish ancestry?!

x

Nola said...

Mrs Jelly, on your train of thoughts....who is Murphy and why does he have his own law?
a thing to ponder!
I love your blog - you are a very clever crafty lady!
Nola
X

Sarah said...

A verygood question indeed!
x x x

Taz said...

: Biblical origins. Think of St Peter. Think of the omnipresent medieval church and think of hitting your thumb with a hammer. You can't swear, else the local priests will have you up before the Bishop and the Lord alone knows what the outcome of that will be, so you exclaim, in appropriate tone of voice, "For Saint Peter's sake" and carry on erecting the shelves. This phrase was amended to "For Pete's Sake" in later, less religiously oppressive, times.

: This is called a "Minced oath," a substitution of a less offensive word.

FOR PETE'S SAKE - The phrase is simply a polite version of a common and profane expression involving the name of Christ. We'd surmise that the original 'Pete' was St. Peter." From "Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins" by William and Mary Morris.

Murphy's law see -
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/murphys-law.html

;)

Beki - TheRustedChain said...

Ha! I've wondered who Pete is before too!

I also wonder who "they" are. "They say it's bad for you to cut your legs shaving." Who's THEY?