Where did the expression Holy Toledo come from?
(In the 20s and 30s, Toledo was a sanctuary for gangsters. They made an agreement with the police that if the police would leave them alone, they would leave Toledo alone. Since this provided a sanctuary, the gangsters called the city “Holy Toledo.”
What does it mean when someone says Holy Toledo?
Filters. An exclamation of surprise or astonishment. interjection. 1.
Who came up with the saying Holy Toledo?
The standard stories include that there are a lot of churches in the city; that we picked it up from Toledo, Spain, which was called saintly and holy from around the years 500 to 1600 because of its prominence for both Catholics and Muslims (or because the Islamic Moors were ejected and the remaining Christians thought …
What is the meaning of Toledo?
Definition of Toledo (Entry 1 of 3) : a finely tempered sword of a kind made in Toledo, Spain. Toledo. biographical name.
Is Holy Cow a swear word?
“Holy cow!” (and other similar terms), an exclamation of surprise used mostly in the United States, Canada, Australia, and England, is a minced oath or euphemism. There is the profane exclamations, ‘holy cow!’ and, ‘By the stomach of the eternal cow!
Where does phrase elbow grease come from?
If your little brother complains that mowing the lawn is too hard, you might say, “It just takes a little elbow grease!” The English poet Andrew Marvell used the word in 1672, and in 1699 it appeared in the “New Dictionary of the Canting Crew” with the definition “a derisory Term for Sweat.”
What is the meaning of holy smokes?
Definition of holy smoke informal. —used to say that one is very surprised, pleased, or excited Holy smoke! You got your hair cut!
What is Toledo best known for?
Founded in 1833, Toledo has become well known for its industry, particularly in auto assembly and glass (hence the nickname “The Glass City”). Toledo is now at the heart of the New Manufacturing Economy, which is entrepreneurial in spirit. The Toledo area recognizes and celebrates this spirit.
Is Toledo a Spanish word?
Spanish and Jewish (Sephardic): habitational name from the city in central Spain, which was the capital of the Visigothic state between the 6th and 8th centuries.
Why do we say holy moly?
Holy Moly (also spelled Holy Moley) is an exclamation of surprise that dates from at least 1892. It is most likely a minced oath, a cleaned-up version of a taboo phrase such as “Holy Moses”.
Why is Holy cow offensive?
‘” The phrase appears to have been adopted as a means to avoid using obscene or indecent language and may have been based on a general awareness of the holiness of cows in some religious traditions.
Why do we say 40 winks?
As a blink lasts for a fraction of a second, forty winks take a few seconds. Hence the phrase ”forty winks” has come to mean a few moments of sleep, or a very short nap, especially taken during the daytime, while not in a sleeping position.