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He asked to be shown how it worked and offered Ben Franklin an ax to demonstrate. Once his ax was sharp the stranger walked off laughing. Today "having an ax to grind" means that someone has a hidden motive behind their actions. ... Alternate origin: lock stock and barrel also referred to when you bought a farm.
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www.brownielocks.com/wordorigins.html
www.brownielocks.com/wordorigins.html
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When you make an "off the cuff" remark what you are doing is saying something without really having thought about it. You make it spontaneously.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/edu/2002/01/29/stori...
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Dear Word Detective: I'm looking for the origin of the phrase "grass roots" as in "grass roots campaign." We are about to launch a "grass roots campaign" against grass. ... In any case, the phrase "off the cuff" does indeed refer to the cuffs of a shirt, and has been a metaphor for speaking extemporaneously since the 1930's.
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www.word-detective.com/072302.html
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For a refresher from the all-star game, when, thanks to an off-the-cuff remark from Reggie Jackson and a blood-thirsty sports paparazzi, he “was asked to play Abe Foxman instead of left field.” ... Celebrating 150 years of ‘On The Origin of Species’...
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www.jewishjournal.com/thegodblog/item/brains_and_braun_...
www.jewishjournal.com/thegodblog/item/brains_and_braun_hebrew_hammer_instills_pride_in_the_tribe_20080925/
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off-the-cuff adj. Not prepared in advance; impromptu: an off-the-cuff remark. ... Idioms: off the cuff ... Impromptu, extemporaneous, as in His speech was entirely off the cuff. This term supposedly alludes to the practice of speakers making last-minute notes on the cuff of a shirtsleeve. [1930s];
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www.answers.com/topic/off-the-cuff
www.answers.com/topic/off-the-cuff
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noun informal an infrequently updated blog about life; ORIGIN directly from the mind of Jake A. Smith. ... phrase informal without preparation; ORIGIN as if from impromptu notes written on one's shirt cuff.
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www.jakeasmith.com/offthecuff/
www.jakeasmith.com/offthecuff/
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Off The Cuff; This is from a website visitor:; Traditionally thought to be a spontaneous statement or response (isn't amazing how he comes up with those ideas off the cuff like that...?), it actually has origins in one of two places, depending on who you listen to: My Favorite?
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www.idiomsite.com/offthecuff.htm
www.idiomsite.com/offthecuff.htm
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Posted by: From Arkansas in Are You Kidding Me?, Shame of America on Nov 15 2007 ... If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting! ... About Off The Cuff...
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offthecuff.lurasbookcase.com/2007/11/15/google-equals-h...
offthecuff.lurasbookcase.com/2007/11/15/google-equals-hypocrite-google-stock-drops-sharply/
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In the latest episode of Peter Travers' chat show Off the Cuff, Halloween 2 director Rob Zombie swings by the office to discuss chick flicks (Zombie calls He's Not That Into You "excruciating"), how blogs have diminished ... Half the movie was an over the top, white trash parodying "origin" story that didn't need to exist.
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www.rollingstone.com/blogs/traverstake/2009/08/off-the-...
www.rollingstone.com/blogs/traverstake/2009/08/off-the-cuff-with-peter-traver-2.php
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