What is a wringer mean?
: one that wrings: such as. a : a machine or device for pressing out liquid or moisture a clothes wringer. b : something that causes pain, hardship, or exertion his illness put them through the wringer.
Is it put through the wringer?
If you say that someone has been put through the wringer or has gone through the wringer, you mean that they have suffered a very difficult or unpleasant experience.
Why do they call it a ringer?
The idea of a ringer first developed in horse racing, where fast horses were sometime substituted, secretly, for slower ones — this was originally known as a “ring-in.” It’s thought to have come from the British term of the same name, which means “substitute or exchange.” Ringers are occasionally used in many different …
What does go through the ringer mean?
The idiom through the wringer refers to having been through a series of very difficult or unpleasant experiences. This idiom came about in the early 20th century, and in initial use the experience it referred to was often that of questioning.
Where does the expression dead ringer?
Instead, “dead ringer” comes from US horse racing, when cheating owners would switch one horse with another and showcase it under a false name and pedigree to defraud bookies. The term “ringer” comes from an old slang usage of “ring,” which meant to exchange or substitute something counterfeit for something real.
Why do we say saved by the bell?
Saved by the bell means to escape catastrophe through a last-minute intervention. The phrase saved by the bell is derived from the sport of boxing. When a boxer is knocked to the ground, he must get back to his feet before the referee counts to ten or the victory will be awarded to his opponent.
Why did Victorians put bells in their coffins?
The general fear of premature burial led to the invention of many safety devices which could be incorporated into coffins. Most consisted of some type of device for communication to the outside world such as a cord attached to a bell that the interred person could ring should they revive after the burial.
Where did the phrase ring a bell come from?
Origin. The origin of this phrase is unclear, but there are some theories. One theory refers to Pavlov’s experiments with dogs, where he used a bell to invoke memories. When the dogs were served food, a bell was rung.
Is the phrase that rings a bell historically accurate?
Rings a bell is a phrase that describes something that causes someone to remember something, something that jogs one’s memory. Many believe that rings a bell is a reference to the pioneering work of Ivan Pavlov, who discovered the conditioned reflex in a famous experiment involving dogs.