Caught by the short and curlies

Posted by Lotg on September 26, 2003

In Reply to: Caught by the short and curlies posted by Lotg on September 26, 2003

: : I think the common U.S. equivalent is something like: "He had me by the short hairs."

: ::: Smokey - where are you from? This is the second email I've seen from you where you quote something and the other readers are only familiar with a different version. Yet, I'm familiar with your version. The previous example of that I read was when you asked about 'might as well be hung for a sheep as a goat'.

: I grew up with the 'short and curlies' version too. Are you Australian? Just curious to note the different dialects here.

:::: Oh yes, and I also noted that no-one wanted to discuss the origins of this in any detail either. As far as I'm aware (or maybe I just assumed and have guessed wrongly), it's basically saying that you've got someone by the pubic hairs. Maybe it's more directly suggesting that you've got someone by the balls (testicles if you want me to be politically correct). No-one's ever officially told me this, so I've just deduced, as one does with these things. And I have no idea where it started, why or by whom.