Going great guns

Posted by ESC on September 11, 2009 at 13:19

In Reply to: Going great guns posted by Dusty on September 10, 2009 at 21:03:

: Can someone help me with the origin's of "Going great guns"? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Great gun - 15th century, "denoting a large artillery piece" as distinguished from a small gun such as a musket or rifle. Blow great guns - 19th century nautical, strong wind. Go great guns - early 20th century, associated with horse racing. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable revised by John Ayto (HarperCollinsPublishers, New York, 2005, Seventeenth Edition). Page 610-611.