Boxings impact on the English language

[Panzerfaust]

the everyday English is full of boxing idioms.And Boxing is probably the sport that has influenced the english language the most.
Heres a short list from the top of my head:

Up to scratch
to toe the line
to show someone the ropes
down and out
come out swinging
to throw in the towel
to square of
to roll with the punches
low blow
down for the count
dukes

and im sure theres a tonn more . Any ones whos particular to Australia or the uk? post them as they come to mind :P

[BoxBuzz]

Taking off the gloves
fair and square (I have heard that this originally refers to markus of queensbury rules and the squared circle, though it may simply have been a rhyme.
on the ropes
using the word"knockout" for many other purposes such as describing a beautiful woman

[Brutu]

I think showing someone the ropes may be an old sailors term,especially when ships still had sails.

[Brutu]

"the Real McCoY"

[Knucklez]

You can run but you can't hide - Joe Louis
To be in someone's corner.

[granberry]

Panzerfaust ,

This is a terrific idea for a thread.

In previous times, when the media was more competent,

many writers who later became known for writing other things started out as sports writers.

Paul Gallico became a well known novelist after starting out as a sports writer.

Westbrook Pegler became a well known columnist after starting out as a sports writer.

And there are many more.

The use of strongly active words, especially in headlines, is a characteristic of good sports writing.

And it rubs off on a writer's general use of language, making his writing more alive and striking.

The Braves smash the Giants

Jones throttles the Indians.

etc etc

[Knucklez]

Sucker punch.

[Goodnight, Irene]

One of the best known..."Down, but not out."

Brutu --- Great reference on, "The Real McCoy." Indeed, owes its origins to the sweet science.

[Panzerfaust]

the story behind the real McCoy is one of my favorite ones of alltime

references to people as heavyweights or lightweights depending on their impact on a subject

[raylawpc]

"the Real McCoY"

It appears, however, that this claim is a myth. "The real McCoy" is a corruption of the Scotish phrase "the real MacKay", first recorded in the 1850s before Norman Shelby was even born.

http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-mcc1.htm

[BoxBuzz]

perhaps then given a "second life" due to the the sound alike quality, within American culture? Sometimes these things get spun, adopted and rerouted. so to speak.

[Panzerfaust]

The version of the real mcCoy story i heard was that he would often pretend to be hurt to catch his opponents of guard. He did this to such an extent that the crowd would wonder if they were seing the real McCoy :) This offcourse i dont know if he did as ive not read to much about him tbh.


and the extreme version where he came to see a fighter he was scheduled to fight wearing theatric makeup and pretending to be dying from consumption(i believe it was). McCoy asked for him to go lightly on him because he was just in there for one last payday .
The oponent fell for it and showed up in bad shape and was whipped by a tip top McCoy...

the last one sounds very unlikely and is probably a myth, But a entertaining story

(Edit: since this is a thread about the english language please forgive my decimation of said language )

[granberry]

Take a dive

[boxer70]

'When your back is against the ropes'
'When backed into a corner'
'To shape up'
'Take it on the chin'

[granberry]

It is amazing HOW MANY standard phrases come from boxing.

All credit to Panzerfaust for calling attention to this.

[Counter-puncher]

EG: someone is 'punching above his weight'

'leading with his chin'

'Tony Blair had to box clever in front of the Iraq inquiry'

'that comment was below the belt' (like low blow earlier)

[Ezzard]

Didn't Joe Gans coin "bringing home the bacon"?

"Saved by the bell..."

[Panzerfaust]

To beat someone to the punch.


When you combine all these idioms with the obvious impact on popular culture(how many songs or films about boxing or boxers or fictional books can you think of from the top of your head?)

pretty impressive . I dare anyone to find a sport wich have had half the impact boxing have.

then theres also the social economic side to it..

[Ezzard]

The best writers tend to gravitate towards boxing because no other sport has the same raw drama.

[Panzerfaust]

bump.