why is a washer called a washer

Discussion in 'Free Thoughts' started by Sir. Brilliance, Dec 16, 2005.

  1. iceaura Valued Senior Member

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    Last edited: Aug 20, 2016
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  3. Seattle Valued Senior Member

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    It's probably some guys name. Jimmy Bob Washer came up with a fix and people started saying give me a "Washer" because it rolls off the tongue better than get me a "Jimmy Bob Washer".
     
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  5. geordief Valued Senior Member

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    Just musing............... but in the past and first instances the seal may have been caused by water moving through the join and swelling the wood

    Boats were made with planks and when they were first used the water comes in but after a bit the swelling makes them pretty watertight.

    Maybe the first washers took advantage of that effect . Maybe the first washers were made of leather and maybe when metal was used it was in combination with leather.

    Or maybe it was the Washer,Washer and Washer brothers who got the first franchise.
     
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  7. iceaura Valued Senior Member

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    In those days people were named after their tools and roles rather than vice versa. Jim the washer guy became Jim Washer.

    That's kind of a significant change, come to think of it.
     
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  8. Ivan Seeking Registered Senior Member

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    Yes, that seems to be the logical origin of the word. I saw the claim made on an answers page and stated as a fact, but it didn't have any supporting information.
     
  9. Ivan Seeking Registered Senior Member

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    "...etymologists attest that the Amercian word, "crapper", meaning the W.C. is directly from his name. He relentlessly promoted sanitary fittings to a somewhat dirty and sceptical world and championed the 'water-waste-preventing cistern syphon' in particular.

    Mr. Crapper's inventiveness was well known; he registered a number of patents, one of which was the 'Disconnecting Trap' which became an essential underground drains fitting. This alone was a great leap forward in the campaign against disease."
    http://www.thomas-crapper.com/The-History-of-Thomas-Crapper.html

    Sometimes destiny sucks.
     
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  10. geordief Valued Senior Member

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    I can't disentangle my recollections but I may have read somewhere that the connection to "crapper" and Thomas Crapper is a folk myth.

    I am not sure what the "myth" actually entails but there is quite a bit that is searchable that says there is a myth involved.....
     
  11. Ivan Seeking Registered Senior Member

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    The myth is that he invented the toilet.
     
  12. Fraggle Rocker Staff Member

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    "Puss" as an alternative word for "cat" goes back to the ancient German language, from which English is descended. "Pussy" is simply a diminutive form, such as "doggy" or "piggy."

    "Puss" was a Germanic word for "woman." The Y was added as a diminutive. Use of the word "pussy" to mean "vagina" is rather recent
     
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  13. Fraggle Rocker Staff Member

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    Wikipedia says that the word "crapper" was in use long before Mr. Crapper appeared. "Crap" is an old word, so "crapper" was an obvious slang word for "toilet."

    Nonetheless, Mr. Crapper's name helped to make the word even more popular.
     
  14. geordief Valued Senior Member

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    "Long before Mr Crapper appeared " ? That speaks to our linguistic inventiveness.

    How long were flushing toilets around before Mr Crapper appeared on the scene I wonder?
     
  15. Sarkus Hippomonstrosesquippedalo phobe Valued Senior Member

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    Rudimentary flushing toilets have been evidenced back 5,000 years ago. The Romans used them throughout there empire, although the first one recognisable as a modern toilet with u-bend or similar was probably 18th ecentury.
    Thomas Crapper was 19th century.
     
  16. birch Valued Senior Member

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    Why are grape nuts called that? There are no grapes in any way, shape or form. I do like that cereal with yogurt though.
     
  17. geordief Valued Senior Member

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    Anything to do with grapeshot?
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grapeshot

    Are they also clustered like grapes (the cereal dish?)

    Not my cup of tea be it said

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