stick to forty

[GUEST2008]

Hi

The action takes place in England. One woman offers the other a lift. She says:

I'll stick to forty all the way.’​

Is it 40 kilometers an hour?​

 

[bhaisahab]

Hi

The action takes place in England. One woman offers the other a lift. She says:

I'll stick to forty all the way.’​

Is it 40 kilometers an hour?​

It's forty miles an hour in England.

 

[BobK]

It's forty miles an hour in England.

:up: - a smidge over 60 kph, so not that slow.

b

 

[5jj]

a smidge over 60 kph ...

A what over 60 kph??

 

[bhaisahab]

A what over 60 kph??

Smidge - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary ;-)

 

[5jj]

Smidge - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary ;-)

mutter mutter mumble.

 

[emsr2d2]

I hadn't heard smidge before either. Smidgen, yes!

Sticking to 40mph would either be a bit too fast, just right or far too slow depending on what kind of road you were travelling on.

If that woman offered me a lift and promised to stick to 40mph but I knew we were going to be on the motorway, I'd turn down her offer!!

 

[BobK]

I didn't use the two-syllable version because I'd no idea how to spell it!

b

 

[BobK]

mutter mutter mumble.

Aw, c'mon! ;-) Online Etymology Dictionary dates it to 1905 (which, incidentally, is the year my father was born). And Online Etymology Dictionary supposes that it may go back to the Scots smitch (1822).

b

 

[5jj]

Aw, c'mon! ;-) Online Etymology Dictionary dates it to 1905 (which, incidentally, is the year my father was born). And Online Etymology Dictionary supposes that it may go back to the Scots smitch (1822).

mutter mutter American English mumble mumble Scots gibber standards dribble drool.

 

[emsr2d2]

I didn't use the two-syllable version because I'd no idea how to spell it!

b

Snap! I had to check the spelling online - I think I'd always spelt it "smidgin" until I looked it up. It's not one of those words we write down very often, I suppose!

 

[BobK]

Snap! I had to check the spelling online - I think I'd always spelt it "smidgin" until I looked it up. It's not one of those words we write down very often, I suppose!

I'm sure I've seen that version in some reputable ref. I think I've seen 'smigeon' as well (but maybe that was only in my Tom Lehrer book!). ;-)

b

 

[bhaisahab]

I'm sure I've seen that version in some reputable ref. I think I've seen 'smigeon' as well (but maybe that was only in my Tom Lehrer book!). ;-)

b

Smidgeon looks like a suitable name for a very small pet pigeon.

 

[5jj]

I'm sure I've seen that version in some reputable ref. I think I've seen 'smigeon' as well (but maybe that was only in my Tom Lehrer book!).

b

Webster's Third gives smidgen, smidgeon, smidgin and roll smidge.
The OED gives smidgen, smidgeon, smidgin, smitchin, etc (!) and roll smidge and smitch.

Dear Dr Johnson gives none of them, though I found these delights while hunting:
To Smeeth or smutch - to smoke, to blacken with smoke
Smicket - The under garment of a woman
Smitt - The finest of the clayey ore, made up into balls, they use for marking of sheep, and call it smitt.

I mention them in case you ever need to talk about such things.

 

[riquecohen]

The definition given for smidge in the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary is smidgen.:lol:

 

[BobK]

Webster's Third gives smidgen, smidgeon, smidgin and roll smidge.
The OED gives smidgen, smidgeon, smidgin, smitchin, etc (!) and roll smidge and smitch.

Dear Dr Johnson gives none of them, though I found these delights while hunting:
To Smeeth or smutch - to smoke, to blacken with smoke
Smicket - The under garment of a woman
Smitt - The finest of the clayey ore, made up into balls, they use for marking of sheep, and call it smitt.

I mention them in case you ever need to talk about such things.

Thanks - especially for the innocent bystanders. I like 'smutch' - related to 'smut' I imagine (guess[/I, that is]). ;-)

b

PS Tangentially (that's Latin for off-topic): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOSYiT2iG08 (Apologies for the ad.)