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Usenet Posted 20 years ago
Usage
"Out on a rail"
Does anyone know the origin of the expression "ride someone out on a rail"?
Top answer
htm "Another form of torture inflicted on some of the Tories was to force them to ride the rail. " Raymond S. Wise Minneapolis, Minnesota USA E-mail: mplsray @ yahoo .
- htm "Another form of torture inflicted on some of the Tories was to force them to ride the rail.
- " Raymond S.
- Wise Minneapolis, Minnesota USA E-mail: mplsray @ yahoo .
- com
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4 Answers
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[nq:1]Does anyone know the origin of the expression "ride someone out on a rail"?[/nq]
It comes from an old form of punishment or, to look at it from another point of view, an old form of harassment or persecution (although to call it "torture" seems an exaggeration to me):
From
http://www.fortkl
It comes from an old form of punishment or, to look at it from another point of view, an old form of harassment or persecution (although to call it "torture" seems an exaggeration to me):
From
http://www.fortkl
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[nq:2]Does anyone know the origin of the expression "ride someone out on a rail"?[/nq]
[nq:1]It comes from an old form of punishment or, to look at it from another point of view, an old form ... two tall men, with a man on each side to keep the poor wretch straight and fixed in his seat."[/nq]
In this context a "rail" is a length of wood (part of a fence consisting of upright posts and hor
[nq:1]It comes from an old form of punishment or, to look at it from another point of view, an old form ... two tall men, with a man on each side to keep the poor wretch straight and fixed in his seat."[/nq]
In this context a "rail" is a length of wood (part of a fence consisting of upright posts and hor
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[nq:1]Does anyone know the origin of the expression "ride someone out on a rail"?[/nq]
It comes from the old practice of carrying indesiracles out of town on a fence rail.
It was commonly accompanied with a good tarring and feathering.
It comes from the old practice of carrying indesiracles out of town on a fence rail.
It was commonly accompanied with a good tarring and feathering.
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[nq:1]Does anyone know the origin of the expression "ride someone out on a rail"?[/nq]
This single phrase combines two historical images:
1. "Out of town," viz. the punishment of expulsionfrom the community, traditional in Europe as well
as America.
2. "riding on a rail," a variety of punishment(torture) for wrongdoers, seating them astride
a piece of wood like a fence rai
This single phrase combines two historical images:
1. "Out of town," viz. the punishment of expulsionfrom the community, traditional in Europe as well
as America.
2. "riding on a rail," a variety of punishment(torture) for wrongdoers, seating them astride
a piece of wood like a fence rai
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