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Picture of shufitz
posted
Quoted elsewhere: It is a venerable chestnut

Why is old, oft-retold story called a chestnut?

(Heck, for that matter, why is the nut itself called a "chest" nut?))
 
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Picture of arnie
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I know zmj (and others) don't think much of this source, but ...
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=chestnut


Build a man a fire and he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
 
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Picture of zmježd
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From Lippencott's Monthly Magazine: the joke mentioned in the Etymonline entry. (Begins at the bottom of the page and continues on the next for the punch line.)


Ceci n'est pas un seing.
 
Posts: 5149 | Location: R'lyehReply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of Kalleh
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Well, arnie, I like etymology.com. It at least can get you started when you are wondering about the origin of a word.
 
Posts: 24735 | Location: Chicago, USAReply With QuoteReport This Post
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I found something strange in the Online Etymology Dictionary, talked to the editor, and got it changed.
 
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