might be a bit offensive but...

[b.a.d.]

An expression: "Oh, look at the sticks on that chick!"
Question: Why "on", not "of"?

[Charlie Bernstein]

Sticks?

[b.a.d.]

Yes. I guess, they mean legs.

[susiedqq]

Look at the muscles on that guy!

Look at the eyes on that baby!

The "on" means that they are on the person's body.

[b.a.d.]

How strange. I thought that limbs etc. are "attached" to the body, not on it, but you should know better. Thanks!

[pyoung]

Dear b.a.d.:

It is strange, but Susiedqq is correct. Look at the ____ ON that _____ is a common formula.
Wow! Check out the ___ (take your pick) on that babe (chick, woman, hottie, etc.)!
Get a load of the pecs on that lifeguard (guy, hombre, dude, b, brother, cat, etc.)
The expression is often used to describe physical attributes that are considered highly attractive, and often the terms used are highly idiomatic. In your example, sticks does mean legs. As you can imagine, we could write a book of idioms for body parts!!

Petra

[b.a.d.]

Great thanks, Pyoung! )))

[Charlie Bernstein]

Originally Posted by b.a.d.

How strange. I thought that limbs etc. are "attached" to the body, not on it, but you should know better. Thanks!

We just don't have a very precise language. Think about "getting punched in the nose." I tried convincing a Frenchman once that his "punched on the nose" is wrong. He decided I was hopelessly demented.

So I punched him. In the nose.

[b.a.d.]

:))) I hope, he won't say "stabbed on an eye". ))))

[BobK]

I have a feeling that the basis of this idiom ('Look at the X on Y') is in relation to cars - referring to objects that really are on the vehicle - 'Look at the rad [= radiator grille] on that baby'. In this case, the custom radiator really is attached (rather than being an organic part of the whole.)

(PC thought: Of course, this adds to the potential offensiveness - treating the X and the Y as objects.)

b