Today's Jokes - 2024

Apparently, the term "pair" was first used in the 14th century. Tongs, the fore runner of pliers wear made in two identical pieces which were then riveted together to make the working tool. Pair also means two identical pieces fastened together. Hence a pair of tongs, a pair of scissors, a pair of shears, etc. Even though slip joint pliers, channel locks, vise grips, and box joint pliers aren't made of two identical pieces, the term "pair" carried through by convention.

More mysterious is the usage of the term to describe jeans, shorts, pants, etc. The term pants was a shortening of the word pantaloons and originally pantaloons were two separate leggings, hence a pair, The term carried through to other items of clothing on the lower half of the torso.

A question arises. Does that mean a speedo, thong, or jock strap should also be called "a pair of"?

Clearly, I have too much time on my hands.
 
atunguyd said:
Would the pair of glasses not be as a result of going from monocles to spectacles? Of course I am assuming the monocle came first

Sent from my SM-S908E using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
An interesting thought. However, from Wikipedia, it appears that monocles came into being in the late eighteenth century and didn't become fashionable until the nineteenth century whereas there is graphic evidence of eyeglasses in the fifteenth century. More likely, they were acalled a pair because of two singular lenses being combined.
 
Is half of a pair of pliers a plier? Is there a left plier and a right plier if you use them horizontally, but an upper plier and a lower plier if you use them vertically? If I use them to drive a tack, are they a pair of hammers?

Tom
 
higgite said:
Is half of a pair of pliers a plier? Is there a left plier and a right plier if you use them horizontally, but an upper plier and a lower plier if you use them vertically? If I use them to drive a tack, are they a pair of hammers?

Tom
Click to expand...
And this obviously bring us to the left and right Twix…

According to Twix themselves, the right side is “smooth caramel flowed onto crispy cookie and bathed in chocolate” while the left Twix is “crunchy cookies cascaded with soft caramel and cloaked in milk chocolate.” So, there you go.

FBCE128E-E032-4225-A87D-8F52DB38698E.jpeg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top