Brain Teasers
Prayers
Rebus
Rebus brain teasers use words or letters in interesting orientations to represent common phrases.Rebus
How is line #3 represented in this rebus?
1. The shoemaker prays that blessings will be bestowed on everyone.
2. The watchmaker prays for good fortune.
3. The tinker prays a malevolent prayer that God will bring misfortune on someone.
4. The carpenter prays that all will be well.
1. The shoemaker prays that blessings will be bestowed on everyone.
2. The watchmaker prays for good fortune.
3. The tinker prays a malevolent prayer that God will bring misfortune on someone.
4. The carpenter prays that all will be well.
Answer
A tinker's curse.This is an early phrase - 'a tinker's curse' (or cuss), which highlighted the reputation tinkers had for habitual use of profanity. This example from John Mactaggart's The Scottish Gallovidian Encyclopedia, 1824, states:
"A tinker's curse she did na care what she did think or say."
N.B. There seems to be another expression: a "tinker's dam" - a small dam of solder made by tinkers when mending pans. It seems a "tinker's curse" was a more popular expression because tinkers were reputed to swear habitually.
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Comments
A curse could be a formula or charm intended to cause such misfortune to another and it can be a profane oath; curse word but I don't think it could be a prayer for misfortune on someone. And a 'tinker dam' is something useless, as in 'I don't give a tinker's dam'.
And as for a tinker's reputation for habitual use of profanity, an urban myth no doubt since profanity would work against them since their customers would most like be housewives and housekeepers.
And as for a tinker's reputation for habitual use of profanity, an urban myth no doubt since profanity would work against them since their customers would most like be housewives and housekeepers.
China Hand, I'm not really sure what you are trying to say? Clearly, you have cited 'Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)' for your definition of 'curse'. If you check the 'American Heritage Dictionary', you'll find one of the definitions for curse is: "An appeal or prayer for evil or misfortune to befall someone or something." As you are no doubt aware, the English language has more than one way of defining a word; we have choices.
In my "neck of the woods," I have heard the expression, "I don't give a tinker's damn," many times. Based on the context in which the phrase was used, it meant the same thing as "I don't give a damn" as in Rhett Butler's line to Scarlett in 'Gone With the Wind'. In other words, "I don't care."
I live in the Southeastern US, which was settled by many Scottish and Scots-Irish immigrants in the 1800's. It is a mountainous area in which tinkers abounded in those days, so it can be deduced that the use of this phrase in this area was a result of that heritage.
So I am a bit confused how in one instance, the phrase "tinker's curse," is a used AS a curse, and in the next example the phrase is related to an OBJECT used in the the tinker's work, and the word 'damn' which is a synonym for curse, is now a 'dam'.
Very confusing. Perhaps a little more research would explain this dichotomy?
I live in the Southeastern US, which was settled by many Scottish and Scots-Irish immigrants in the 1800's. It is a mountainous area in which tinkers abounded in those days, so it can be deduced that the use of this phrase in this area was a result of that heritage.
So I am a bit confused how in one instance, the phrase "tinker's curse," is a used AS a curse, and in the next example the phrase is related to an OBJECT used in the the tinker's work, and the word 'damn' which is a synonym for curse, is now a 'dam'.
Very confusing. Perhaps a little more research would explain this dichotomy?
I hope that my use of what is considered to be a curse word, is not found to be unacceptable in this discussion. It was necessary to use it to explain my point in discussing the teaser. I hope I have not offended anyone.
Have heard "don't give a tinker's damn"; now after your posts, will do some research. Lived in SE also.
Well, I never realised such a simple expression would have created so much discussion. To be honest, I had never heard of a 'tinker's damn' either until the teaser was rejected on the grounds I had not included it in the answer section. One learns something new each day.
I live in the New England and have also heard "I don't give a tinker's damn". From the definition Jazzmusician gave, I'm assuming it was distorted through the years from tinker's 'dam' to 'damn'. I've never heard of a tinker's curse so never would have gotten this right but it was interesting to read the answer's explanation and the comments.
This was kool and all but I totally didn't get it. I have never heard that saying before but I will ber sure to remember it. Who knows it miht just come in handy for the future.
It is a popular saying in Australia (and I suppose England, but am not sure). I can feel a PhD coming on here...
Well I guess it must be our corrupt criminal beginnings but I'll support the jazzzer, being also from Australia that "a tinker's curse" is a common saying down under! Maybe that's why I got the teaser?
Well I guess it must be our corrupt criminal beginnings but I'll support the jazzer, being also from Australia that "a tinker's curse" is a common saying down under! Maybe that's why I got the teaser?
Well again a problem caused by differences in the way we all speak the language. For me I guess, I wasn't too fond of this, simply because it caused some dissention in our family.
We weren't dissenting V!! Just discussing that's all!
"3 Times Lucky" and "3's a charm"...so we have a "lucky charm"!
hahah I guess it's only lucky if you're sadistic, seeing as how it's a death wish.
hahah I guess it's only lucky if you're sadistic, seeing as how it's a death wish.
I said "stinker tinker" because i could think of anything else and it sounded funny.
At thespian inductions, we watched a play called "For Whom the Tinkerbell Tolls" so I thought it was that. Lol
That's funny! You made me laugh!!!
Very interesting rebus.
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