What is the meaning of sixes and Sevens?
Confused, disorganized, disorderly, as in We've just moved in, and the office is still at sixes and sevens, or The new college admissions tests were poorly explained, leaving the students at sixes and sevens. This ancient term is thought to come from a game of dice in which throwing a six or seven had a particular significance.
What is the origin of the word “six”?
In disarray or confusion. The term comes from a game of dice in which throwing a six or seven has special significance, as it does in modern craps. There is considerable disagreement as to the precise game, or even if “six” or “seven” are not corruptions of sinque (five) and sice (six).
What is the origin of the phrase'settle on six and seven'?
The derivation of this phrase is rather difficult to trace, not least because it has changed in both form and meaning over the nine centuries or so that it has been in use. The phrase was originally 'to set on six and seven' and is thought to have derived in the 14th century from the game of dice.
What is the origin of the phrase “five plus six”?
This phrase originated as gambling slang and may be an alteration or corruption of Old French cinque (five) and sice (six), these being the highest numbers on dice.
What does it mean when someone says sixes?
If something is all sixes, it doesn't matter how it's done; it's the same as 'six of one and half a dozen of the other'.Oct 14, 2021
Where does the phrase its sixes come from?
The term at sixes and sevens goes back at least to the 1300s. Originally, the phrase was rendered on six and seven, and referred to a dice game where throwing on a six or seven meant risking one's entire fortune. Until the 1600s, on sixes and sevens meant to take a careless risk.
What is meant by the phrase at sixes and sevens?
phrase [usually verb-link PHRASE] If you say that someone or something is at sixes and sevens, you mean that they are confused or disorganized.
Where does all sixes and sevens come from?
The phrase was originally 'to set on six and seven' and is thought to have derived in the 14th century from the game of dice. The meaning then was 'to carelessly risk one's entire fortune'.
What does dressed to the nines mean?
to perfection; just rightAnswer: The phrase "dressed to the nines" is just a specific application of the Scottish phrase "to the nine " The earliest written evidence of this phrase appeared in the late 18th century in the poetry of Robert Burns. Its meaning is "to perfection; just right."Apr 12, 1997
What does a month of Sundays mean?
an extremely long timeDefinition of a month of Sundays informal. : an extremely long time I haven't talked to her in a month of Sundays.
What does the expression do something at the drop of a hat mean?
Immediately, without delayImmediately, without delay, as in We were ready to pack our bags and go on vacation at the drop of a hat. This phrase probably alludes to signaling the start of a race or other contest by dropping a hat. [
What does the phrase sixes and eights mean?
Six and eight is London Cockney rhyming slang for a state of agitation or nervousness (state).
What does George mean when he says?
George means the idiom when he says 'we're at sixes and sevens here'. "At sixes and sevens" is an idiom in English that is used to represent a situation of bewilderment and uncertainty. The phrases are used in a sentence to express when the speaker is in doubt and confusion.Oct 4, 2020
Where does the expression dressed to the nines come from?
The phrase is said to be Scots in origin. The earliest written example of the phrase is from the 1719 Epistle to Ramsay by the Scottish poet William Hamilton: The bonny Lines therein thou sent me, How to the nines they did content me.
What does kick the bucket mean?
When you kick the bucket, you die. Kick the bucket is an extremely informal way to describe death.
What is the meaning of can't cut the mustard?
Most often, the phrase is used in negative constructions for when something doesn't live up to expectations or can't do the job, e.g., The quarterback couldn't cut the mustard in the playoffs.Jun 1, 2019
How many sixes did Quetta score?
It was a sixes galore in Quetta's innings as they smashed 12 sixes off a hapless Karachi attack.
How many sixes has Shahid Afridi hit?
Afridi has hit 351 sixes in ODIs, 73 sixes in T20Is and 52 in Tests while Gayle has slammed 275 sixes in ODIs, 103 sixes in T20Is and 98 in the longest format of the game. Shahid Afridi challenges Chris Gayle for a six-hitting contest. Talking of sixes.
Is sixes a rarity?
Talking of sixes. It was a rarity in Tests until a few decades ago.
What does "at sixes and sevens" mean?
meaning and origin of the phrase ‘at sixes and sevens’. The phrase at sixes and sevens means in a state of total confusion or disarray. Based on the language of dicing, the phrase was originally to set (all) on six and seven. It denoted the hazard of one’s whole fortune, or carelessness as to the consequences of one’s actions.
Who said "set all on six and seven"?
The latter is attested in the early 16th century, whereas the former is first recorded in the late 14th century, when the English poet Geoffrey Chaucer (circa 1342-1400) wrote, in Troilus and Criseyde:
What does "pips on die" mean?
The pips on a die, and later on playing cards, used to be numbered in an approximation to French: ace (which is still used in card-playing), deuce, trey (both of which have persisted), quatre, cinq (ue) and sice. According to a popular explanation, to set (all) on six and seven is an alteration of another phrase, to set (all) on cinque and sice, which meant to gamble on the highest numbers, and figuratively to behave recklessly. For example, the Scottish chronicler and poet William Stewart (floruit 1499-1541) wrote, in The Buik of the Croniclis of Scotland (1535):
What is the main number in dice?
The player or “caster” calls a “main” (that is, any number from five to nine inclusive). He then throws with two dice. If he “throws in,” or “nicks,” he wins the sum played for from the banker or “setter.” Five is a nick to five, six and twelve are nicks to six, seven and eleven to seven, eight and twelve to eight, and nine to nine. If the caster “throws out” by throwing aces, or deuce, ace (called crabs), he loses. When the main is five or nine the caster throws out with eleven or twelve; when the main is six or eight he throws out with eleven; when the main is seven he throws out with twelve. If the caster neither nicks nor throws out, the number thrown is his “chance,” and he keeps on throwing till either the chance comes up, when he wins, or till the main comes up, when he loses. When a chance is thrown, the “odds” for or against the chance are laid by the setter to the amount of the original stake.
What is a nick to five?
Five is a nick to five, six and twelve are nicks to six, seven and eleven to seven, eight and twelve to eight, and nine to nine. If the caster “throws out” by throwing aces, or deuce, ace (called crabs), he loses.
What does it mean to be at six and seven?
To be at sixes and sevens is to be at a state of confusion and disorder, or of disagreement between parties.
What does "at six and seven" mean?
As we know though, it is now given as 'at sixes and sevens', having mutated via 'at six and seven', and the current meaning refers to a state of confusion, disorder or disagreement, not one of risk.
When was the first edition of At Six and Seven?
There's no question of these different versions arising independently; the movement from one to another was gradual and they overlap each other in time. The first appearance in print of 'at six and seven' is in 1535 and the last citation of 'on six and seven' in 1601. The first appearance of 'at sixes and sevens' was in 1670, in Leti's Il cardinalismo di Santa Chiesa, translated or, as the subtitle of the work helpfully notes, 'faithfully Englished' by G. H., 1670:
When was the word "at sixes and sevens" first used?
The first appearance of 'at sixes and sevens' was in 1670, in Leti's Il cardinalismo di Santa Chiesa, translated or, as the subtitle of the work helpfully notes, 'faithfully Englished' by G. H., 1670: "They leave things at sixes and sevens.".
Where did the phrase "set on six and seven" come from?
The phrase was originally 'to set on six and seven' and is thought to have derived in the 14th century from the game of dice. The meaning then was 'to carelessly risk one's entire fortune'. The earliest citation in print is Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde, 1374:
Is the Livery Company story set on six and seven?
Given that the Chaucer quotation is earlier, the Livery Company story can't be the source of 'set on six and seven'. It is quite possible though that, having the existing phrase, the coincidence of the dispute being between the sixth and seventh places caused the migration in meaning. If that is in fact what happened then it could be argued ...
What does "sixes and sevens" mean?
Confused, disorganized, disorderly, as in We've just moved in, and the office is still at sixes and sevens, or The new college admissions tests were poorly explained, leaving the students at sixes and sevens . This ancient term is thought to come from a game of dice in which throwing a six or seven had a particular significance. The name of the game has been lost, but most likely betting on such a throw was very risky, denoting disorder and confusion. [Late 1300s]
What does it mean when someone is at six and seven?
None of us know what we should be doing. The home side were at sixes and sevens in the first half. Note: Two origins have been suggested for this phrase. The first is from a dice game, and the second is from a dispute that arose between two of the guilds or craft organizations in medieval London about who was to go sixth and who seventh in the annual procession through the city. The dispute was resolved by the guilds taking turns, and this still happens today.
Where did the phrase "I'm at sixes and sevens" come from?
Frazzled or disorganized. The phrase likely originated from a dice game in which rolling a six or a seven was unfavorable. After caring for three sick kids all week, I'm totally at sixes and sevens. I'm at sixes and sevens now that the whole schedule has been rearranged.
