Show FAMILIAR SAYINGS to cave in comes from the english coal raining mining regions after a mine had bad been worked out and abandoned the last item in its history was the caving I 1 in n of the ground above to curse with bell bel book and candle canche was the most formal excommunication practiced by the church of rome borne it was wa an anathema pronounced with the most solemn ceremonies to knock the spots out of anything is an allusion to the traditional skill of western cowboys cowboy E and famous rifle shots who would shoot the spots out of IL a card held between the fingers of a friend to throw up the sponge is borrowed from the prize ring it formerly b being e ing the custom when a prizefighter prize fighter had been worsted for his second to throw up the sponge used for wiping him aitu oz off do at inome as romans do is credited to n no 0 less an authority than st SL au an stine who advised a convert doubtful about the propriety of some cus custom tora observed at rome bome to do as other people did |