I read today about a "tall drink of water" and wondered about the origin of "drink of water" to mean people. I checked Quinion, Word Detective, and some phrase dictionaries...with no success. Does anyone know?

I couldn't find much, but another word forum discusses the phrase here.

Prior to reading arnie's link I'd have just thought of the expression as meaning tall; now I'm convinced that the contents play a role too. "Formidable" might be a synonym.

Arnie, is this phrase used in England?

I remember first hearing that phrase a long time ago. It seems to me it was a movie quote. It sounds like the type of thing Mae West would say. I can envision her saying to Cary Grant, "My, you're a tall drink of water, aren't you." It would have that sexual innuendo that she was famous for. But don't quote that unless I can find out if it's true.

ShamansSmile (02/01/05 10:00 PM) gives an explanation in this forum, but I think it's apocryphal.

He gives a Groucho Marx quote, too, which I know is basically true. I remember hearing it on the old "You Bet Your Life" Show, I believe in the late '50s. The way I remember it is, the guy says he has twelve kids (or maybe eleven), and Groucho asks why he has so many kids. He replies, "Well, Groucho, I love my wife." Groucho says, "I love my cigar, too, but I take it out once in a while."

Tinman

quote:

Originally posted by Kalleh:
Arnie, is this phrase used in England?

Yes. The meaning that comes to mind for me is "tall and slim".

quote:

Originally posted by tinman:
Groucho Marx ... on the old "You Bet Your Life" Show, I believe in the late '50s. ... the guy says he has twelve kids (or maybe eleven), and Groucho asks why he has so many kids. He replies, "Well, Groucho, I love my wife." Groucho says, "I love my cigar, too, but I take it out once in a while."

According to Snopes, that progam was not live TV. Rather, an hour was taped for each half-hour episode, and the the tape was edited to delete bits that were boring or inappropriate. Snopes says any such remark by Groucho would have been deleted from the tape and not aired, and only the studio audience would have heard it; therefore (says Snopes) it can't be known whether the tale is true.

I don't buy it. I have a clear recall of seeing that clip on TV, as an oldie. So I'd agree with tinman, with one exception. I recall the contestant being a woman, not a man. Thus:

[Groucho expresses surprise at so many kids (9, I believe.)]
She: "Well, Groucho, I love my husband."
Groucho: "I love my cigar, too, but I take it out of my mouth once in a while."
She: [blushes furiously, partly from embarassment, partly from the futile effort to suppress her giggling]

quote:

I don't buy it.

Now that's skepticism doubled in spades! You are doubting the big doubters!

I hope you are right! It would be great to find Snopes wrong.

Reviving a thread...I was in a restaurant the other day and a father said to his little boy, "That's a 'tall drink of water.' He must be 6'5"." The kid, about 6, asked him what that phrase meant, and he vaguely said, "Oh, it's just a saying." I hadn't remembered this thread, but when I looked the phrase up in Google, this thread was one of the top ones. Neither arnie's or Tinman's links work anymore, at least for me.

Does anyone know anything more about this phrase?

I think it's from some old Jimmy Stewart western (Destry?) since that came to mind when I read this thread.