January 23, 2009

Where did that come from?

We have a new president, county supervisor and city councilmember. Here are some phrases relevant to their jobs. I’m sure all will want to:

Hit the ground running. It has come to mean a quick start to get things going. Some think it originated in World War II, but a researcher named Gary Martin says not so. He found the phrase in a syndicated newspaper story that appeared in the late 19th century. The story goes that a person fleeing from a shooter jumped in the air to avoid a bullet and when he came back down, he “hit the ground running.” President Obama used the phrase to show he would be taking actions on his first day in office.

They also might to start their terms “from the git-go.” Nobody seems to know the origin other than being an Americanism meaning a brisk beginning or as sprinter might refer to as getting out of the starting blocks quickly.

We want all our new leaders to succeed. They have promised to work for their constituents and bring benefits. We hope none of them will be a “flash in the pan,” meaning a promising start but having no significant long-term effect. In the times of muskets with flintlocks, a small amount of gunpowder in the priming pan was ignited which then set off the main charge, thus firing the musket. If the gunpowder didn’t cause the weapon to fire, the pan produced only noise and smoke.

—By Bill Highlander