What is the origin of the phrase "Flying by the seat of your pants"?
It comes from the sensation of position and movement transmitted to a person's body through the main contact to a fast-moving vehicle. It involves heightened awareness, bought on by adrenaline, where all relative information seems to pass through one's buttocks in preparation for evacuating them.
Gil Lambert, Bundaberg
Before aircraft had instruments, pilots had to rely on their innate sense of balance to detect changes in movements of the plane, transferred to his body by the contact with the seat. This is probably why there was an early change from the Wright Flyer's prone pilot position.
Harry Rowlands, Roseville
Until the development of the "slip/skid indicator" towards the end of WWI, pilots had no instrument to help them turn efficiently - with the aircraft banked but neither "slipping" towards the lower (inside) wing nor "skidding" (with the tail hanging out) towards the outside of the turn. If the aircraft slipped, their bottoms would be sliding "downhill" in their seats. If they skidded, a slight G-force pushed them "uphill".
Martyn Yeomans, West Pymble
What does "dickens" mean? As in to "run like the dickens" or "hurt like the dickens"?
Dickens is a euphemism for the Devil. The expression has been in the language for centuries and predates the birth of Charles Dickens by at least 200 years. Mistress Page utters it in Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor (Act 3, Scene 2): "I cannot tell what the dickens his name is my husband had him of".
Manning Bartlett, Sydney
Why are there never any female pallbearers?
Because they carry enough weight on their shoulders already.
Peter Townley, West Ryde
White Lady Funerals (which began in Adelaide a few years ago) provides females for all aspects of funerals, including pallbearers.
Paul Roberts, Lake Cathie
What is a tenterhook and how do you end up on one, or get off one?
A "tenter" is/was the name given to a wooden framework traditionally used to stretch cloth. A "tenterhook" was originally a right-angled hook or nail used to attach the cloth to the "tenter". From this, "on tenterhooks" is used metaphorically to describe anything that places us under stress.
Karl Wittwer, Maidstone, Kent
Why is the word phonetic not spelt the way it sounds?
Has anyone ever seen a sober newt?
At what speed do rear spoilers make a difference to either performance or economy of a family saloon?
When we want someone to keep a secret with us, why do we tap our nose and say "mum's the word"?
Why do chefs wear black-and-white checked trousers?
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