Let's see how many readers' questions about word origins I can answer in 90 seconds!

No. 1: "The whole nine yards"? (Theresa Naraski, Walnut Creek, California) Some experts say this term for "the whole thing" originally described a full load on an old-style concrete truck (nine cubic yards). But others claim it refers to the nine-yard-long ammunition belts on World War II fighter planes.

No. 2: "Cut to the chase"? (R.J.S., Oakland, California) Many silent movies included exciting chase scenes. So, when the action started to drag, these films would "cut to the chase": skip forward to the important part.

No. 3: "Buy the farm"? (Chris Ryan, New York City) We have three choices on this term meaning "to die"; all involve combat pilots killed in crashes. Either the pilot had (a) expressed dreams of buying a farm after the war, so he was now enjoying the farm in heaven, or (b) had an insurance policy that would allow his survivors to buy a farm, or (c) had damaged a farm when he crashed, entitling the farmer to sue the Air Force and pay off his mortgage.

No. 4: "Jaywalk"? (Adam Grossberg, Hartford, Connecticut) A "jay" is a hick or greenhorn, so rubes who ignored traffic signals in the city were said to "jaywalk."

No. 5: "Fit to be tied"? (David Anson, Bradenton, Florida) People sometimes become so enraged that they seem "fit" (suitable) to be "tied" (restrained) to prevent them from doing harm to themselves or others.

No. 6: "Pass the buck"? (Y. Lakra, Detroit) Poker players on the American frontier passed a buckhorn knife, called a "buck," from player to player to indicate who was dealing. Thus, people who shift responsibility to others are "passing the buck."

No. 7: "Lock, stock and barrel"? (Marjorie Glenney, Coventry, Connecticut) This phrase for "the entire thing" refers to the three essential components of a rifle: the lock (firing mechanism), stock (handle) and barrel.

No. 8: "By and large"? (James Kinnane, Newington, Connecticut) On a square-rigged ship, a skilled helmsperson tacking into the wind steers "full and by" (as close as possible to the wind's direction). But someone less experienced, who might have trouble with this precise maneuver, steers "by and large" (close to the wind but not too close). Thus "by and large" means "approximately, generally."

No. 9: "In the lurch"? (Gerry Nehra, Muskegon, Michigan) In the card game cribbage, the "lurch" is the losing position of a player who scores 60 points or fewer to the winner's 121. So, anyone caught in such an unfortunate position is said to be left "in the lurch."

Hey, I answered the whole nine "hards"!

Rob Kyff, a teacher and writer in West Hartford, Connecticut, invites your language sightings. His book, "Mark My Words," is available for $9.99 on Amazon.com. Send your reports of misuse and abuse, as well as examples of good writing, via email to [email protected] or by regular mail to Rob Kyff, Creators Syndicate, 737 3rd Street, Hermosa Beach, California, 90254.

Photo credit: Perlinator at Pixabay