The Nonsense Nine - the most popular examples of folk etymology

People like to retell stories about the origin of some phrase or other. I get mail, phone calls, posts on Facebook.

It’s always the same old tales - plausible, but false.

Here are the most popular examples of folk etymology - the Nonsense Nine.

1. The whole nine yards - everyone’s favourite; this has to be number one.

2. Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey

4. The full monty

5. The ‘coffin quartet’ - four for the price of one.

6. The real McCoy

7. Scot free

8. Golf

9. Raining cats and dogs

See other well-known misquotations.

Thanks to Bob Killian for the idea for this page, and for the graphic.