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A bunch of fivesMeaning
OriginThe phrase appears in print in 1825, in Charles Westmacott's The English Spy:
It is also reported as appearing, slightly earlier, in Boxiana by Pierce Egan, 1821. Boxiana is a classic work on boxing history and folklore, and just the place to look for such a reference. It isn't easy to obtain copies of it these days, so that hasn't been confirmed here as yet. Phrasefinder is also on
Tudor Phrases and Sayings - a book on the meanings and origins of the phrases and sayings that Shakespeare and Henry VIII used that we use still use every day. |
A
fist. The
fives are the five fingers.
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