what are the meanings of these?

1. Eager fingers squeeze juice out of grapevine. - Probably a group motivational thing, but never heard of it
2. Pay the two dollars - tanstaafl
3. Full of yourself - feeling self important, maybe even arrogant
4. Preaching to the choir - trying to convince those who are already convinced
5. Set something on its ear - to reverse the situation
6. Playing patty-cake - a child's game, so doing something of no importance.
7. Two-stop light - never heard this one
8. Mean-edge. - never heard it before.

Hey, Rog. Think you're right on the ones you know, but I'm gonna guess:

1. When a person is desperate, he will try anything.

2. Don't quibble over small nuisances. (What is tanstaafl?)

3. 4. 5, and 6. Rog is correct.

6. No warning- just either do it or not do it.

7. Perhaps this is the same as "the latest in innovation", but it could also mean an adversary has the advantage.

two stop light--Ive heard this used to mean 'hick" or such a small town . However thats a localism

mean edge--Theres a cruel side to something , like Bob Schimmels humor has a mean edge .

roger has been asked many times about tanstaafl, My feeling is that its a home made acronym with a very naughty meaning

tanstaafl = there ain't no such thing as a free lunch

Hoorah for Mac. I thought it had something to do with Fl. (Florida).

I do believe that the farmer is correct about the two light thing.

Mac has it. You get what you pay for. If you don't want to pay, you don't get it.

Like Farmerman I've heard two light town designation used to define a small rural place of no significans. It is equivilant to a "one horese town", "hick town", or "jerk water".

I believe the "pay the two dollars" goes back to an old Vaudeville/radio/TV sketch where someone went to great lengths in time and money to avoid paying a two dollar fine. With each frustrating step he was advised to "pay the two dollars."

Exactly, flyboy. Like a two dollar fine.

there aint no such thing as a free lunch--Damn, I wish you could read some of the ones I came up with. The f plays a very important role

Re: what are the meanings of these?


I've never heard this expression, but I assume it means that when someone is too eager, he (or she) will try to get something before it's ready. If the grapes are still on the vine, they're not ready to be squeezed for juice.

Re: what are the meanings of these?


I think Roberta's imagination is right. This may point to:

(1) act precipitately;
(2) carry something too far.

Hi Roger,

TANSTAAFL

Acronym for: "There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"

Does this mean:
There is such thing as a free lunch?

If so, it is ridiculous! Or, it is just a sarcasm.

GREAT!
I've got the ideas now and ve been learning a lot from you all. If only I knew about this forum earlier I wouldn't open all the fat dictionaries without getting a clue. Ya, found out if the two-stop light thing is about a rural jerk water area. And yes, Roberta you are correct about grapevine. And oh, my brain'll explode if you guys don't tell me about this two dollar thing, preaching, etc.

Thanks!

upiupi, Pay the two dollars. In a sense, this expression is telling you to take the easy way. Sometimes it's easier to just pay the two dollars than to fight it or resist on a matter of principle. Here's an example, which happens to be true.

My mother kept getting a bill from a hospital for $1.38. She kept writing to the hospital saying that she didn't owe the money. I told her that the stamps were costing her more than the dollar thirty-eight. She said that she didn't owe the money, and she wasn't going to pay it. She eventually started getting notices from the hospital that if she didn't pay the $1.38, her account would be given to a collection agency. Bad news. Did she pay it? Nope. She went over to the hospital. Round-trip bus fare was more than the dollar thirty-eight. In this instance, the easy way was to pay the two dollars. Some people won't do things the easy way--especially if it's a matter of principle.

BTW, the personal trip to the hospital did the trick. The hospital never bothered her again. I would have paid the $1.38 even though I knew I didn't owe it. I would have "paid the two dollars."