Etymology

Why do we use these phrases & words?

In alphabetical order:
- Acid Test: Why do have the phrase Acid Test?
- Beefy: Why do we say someone is beefy?
-  Bobby Policemen: Why are British Policemen called Bobbies?
- Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth: Why do we say “butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth“?
- By the seat of my pants: Why do I say that I fly by the seat of my pants?
- Cold Feet: Why do we say that we get “Cold Feet”?
- Cold Shoulder: Why do we say that we give the “Cold Shoulder” to someone?
- Cup of Joe: Why do we call a cup of coffee a cup of Joe?
- Dead as a doornail: Why do we say something is as dead as a doornail?
- Do-Re-Mi: Why do we say Do-Re-Mi in music?
- Eat your heart out: Why do we say “eat your heart out”?
- Egg on the face: Why do we someone has “egg on the face”?
- Fly off the handle: Why do we say someone “flies off the handle”?
- Fresh as a Daisy: Why do we say someone is “as fresh as a daisy”?
- Gobbledygook: Why do we say something is gobbledygook?
- Goody Two Shoes: Why do we call people “goody two shoes”?
- Got your Goat: Why do we say someone has got your goat?
- Honeymoon: Why do we call it a honeymoon?
- In a nutshell: Why do we have the phrase “in a nutshell“?
- Jack (playing card): Why do we call Jack cards Jacks?
- Jet Black: Why do we say something is “jet black”?
- Limelight: Why do we say someone is “in the limelight”?
- Lion’s share: Why do we say someone got the lion’s share?
- Loo: Why is a toilet called a loo?
- Love (tennis):  Why do I say “love” instead of “zero” in tennis?
- Mile: Why do we call a mile a mile?
- Money in the kitty: Why do we say we put money in the kitty?
- OK:  Why do I say “OK”? What does OK stand for?
- On the Ball: Why do we say someone is “on the ball”?
- One Trick Pony: Why do we say someone is a one trick pony?
- Pardon my French: Why do we say “Pardon my French” when we swear?
- Piggy Bank: Why is it called a piggy bank? Where did the piggy bank get its name?
- Pitch Black:  Why do we say something is “pitch black”?
- Place names: Why do we call places by certain names?
- Sick as a Dog: Why do we say someone is “as sick as a dog”?
- Sleep Tight: Why do I say Sleep Tight?
- Smart Alec: Why do we say someone is a “Smart Alec“?
- Square meal: Square meal meaning and origin: Why do we say square meal?
- Toast: Why do we say we raise a “toast”? Why do we call it a toast?
- Tying the knot: Why do we say we tie the knot when we get married?

Why do we have these Symbols & Abbreviations

- £: Why do we have the pound symbol?
- AM/ PM: Why do we say a time of day is AM or PM?
- lbs: Why do we abbreviate pounds to lbs?
- Peace Sign: History of the peace sign
- RSVP: Why do we write RSVP on invitations?
- XOXO: Why do we use XOXO as a symbol for hugs and kisses?