mumbletypeg

Use this forum to suggest Good Words for Professor Beard.
eberntson
Lexiterian
Posts: 457
Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2005 10:48 am
Location: Cambridge, Mass
Contact:

mumbletypeg

Postby eberntson » Tue Jun 28, 2016 11:43 pm

A child's game is played with a pocket knife, where the goal is to stick the knife in the ground or wood surface while launching it in prescribed ways or manipulation. One way is to toss the knife at the feet, the closest wins; landing the knife in your foot is an automatic win.

To be that young, bored, and stupid again.
Last edited by eberntson on Wed Nov 17, 2021 1:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
EBERNTSON
Fear less, hope more;
eat less, chew more;
whine less, breathe more;
talk less, say more,
and all good things will be yours.
--R. Burns

User avatar
Slava
Great Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 8040
Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:31 am
Location: Finger Lakes, NY

Re: Mumbletypeg

Postby Slava » Sat Apr 03, 2021 7:47 am

I just learned something new. I think I understand this a whole lot more now, thanks to Etymonline:
boys' knife-throwing game, 1650s, originally mumble-the-peg (1620s), of unknown signification and origin. The usual story is that it is so called because "The last player to complete the series is compelled to draw out of the ground with his teeth a peg which the others have driven in with a certain number of blows with the handle of the knife" [Century Dictionary]; see mumble (v.) in the original sense "eat in a slow, inefficient manner."
The whole thing makes much more sense, now. The players had to hit a peg with the handle of the knife, not the blade, and the loser had to get down on his hands and knees and pull it up with his teeth. Hard to talk at all, let alone mumble, when you're kissing dirt. :D
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

eberntson
Lexiterian
Posts: 457
Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2005 10:48 am
Location: Cambridge, Mass
Contact:

Re: mumbletypeg

Postby eberntson » Wed Nov 17, 2021 1:58 pm

@Slava That does make a lot more sense, but these boys are;t using jackknives then but real knives with sheaths and handles that have some heft.

it does seem to be a safe game the way you explain it. Can you imagine coming home with a hole in your shoe and foot? There would be hell to pay, starting with good hiding with a strap. Plus, the knife being taken away because you're not worthy.

Thanks for the enlightenment.
EBERNTSON
Fear less, hope more;
eat less, chew more;
whine less, breathe more;
talk less, say more,
and all good things will be yours.
--R. Burns


Return to “Good Word Suggestions”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Ahrefs [Bot] and 30 guests