Posted by ESC on November 02, 2001 In Reply to: Origin of saying
more than you can shake a stick at posted by David on November
02, 2001 at : more than you can shake a stick at. Anyone know
the origin. More discussion in the archives under "shake" or
"stick." SHAKE A STICK AT - "Although this does have a literal
meaning, to threaten with a stick, we in the United States give
it much more fanciful interpretation. If we say, 'There are more
filling stations in town than one can shake a stick at,' we mean
nothing more than that the town contains an abundance of places
at which one may purchase gasoline for one's motorcar. That
American usage dates from early in the nineteenth century. One
may speculate that it arose from the play at warfare by small
boys - George Washington Jones flourishing a triumphant wooden
sword over the considerable number of British soldiers who
surrendered at Yorktown, more, in fact, than he could wave his
'stick' at. Then, too, we use the expression to indicate a
comparative that may ex