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"YH QotD"

Do you think the phrase "it's a bit nippy out today" came about because nipples go hard when it's cold?

Probably seems a bit obvious, but I've only just twigged...

Do you think the phrase "it's a bit nippy out today" came about because nipples go hard when it's cold?

Probably seems a bit obvious, but I've only just twigged...

I thought it was because the cold feeling "nips" at your skin when you go out into it but you could be right.

I think it comes from people saying "The cold's really biting today" with nipping being a weaker version of 'bite' to demonstrate that's it's less cold but still uncomfortably so.

Your Honour wrote:
> but I've only just twigged...

We're not surprised... ;-)

So anyone want to explain the origin of 'goose bumps'?

In the same way that canaries were used in mines, people used to wander around with shaved geese so they could tell the temperature accurately.

If it was cold, the goose would get bumps. Hence, goosebumps. If it was hot, it would break wind at a prodigous rate, but people never talked about that.

Makes you wonder why ever bothered inventing thermometers. I'm off to get me a shaved goose now.

Imagine if the theremometer hadn't been invented and everyone had a shaved goose in their house.

Then again with bird flu they'd all have to be culled anyway......

If the thermometer hadn't been invented, they'd have trouble taking the temperature of babies...

*Tries to get the disturbing image out of his head*