What's with the ??

Posted by ESC on February 17, 2003

In Reply to: To cotton to posted by James Briggs on February 15, 2003

: : In response to a post on the archived board:

: : TO COTTON TO (THING OR PERSON) -- "...it was used by Dickens (Old Curiosity Shop) more than a hundred years ago with just the present meaning, to get along with or to like a thing or person. The origin is lost, but probably referred in some manner to the readiness with which cotton adheres to a napped surface. From 2107 Curious Word Origins, Sayings & Expressions from White Elephants to Song and Dance by Charles Earle Funk (Galahad Book, New York, 1993).

: The saying is recorded in a play as early as 1605. Clearly the saying is a lot older.

My original post has random ?? question marks. Very strange.

• What's with the ?? R. Berg 02/17/03