Those damn squid, errr, damp squid! I must have squid on the brain. Speaking of which, the first time I heard of my future sister-in-law was when I noticed a postcard she had sent my brother (the one she eventually married, not the other one that she dallies with on the side ;)). In it, she addressed her future and current husband as "Squid-brain," and I knew I'd like her from there on out.
Anyway, in today's news, I see Tony Blair referring to a supposed "smoking gun" memo regarding the legality of the Iraq war as a "damp squib." Must be a British expression. A quick check online reveals that it is a fairly common term mean something that amounts to very little. A "squib" is apparently a small firecracker, and a damp one presumably promises much but fizzles instead. It also apparently refers to a racehorse that starts fast but fizzles out.
Learning something new every day is a surefire way not get paid for doing something you already know.
posted on Thu, 28 Apr 2005 at 12:08 | path: /words | perma link
