Ever Wondered Why...

Why do ships and aircraft use ‘Mayday!’ as their call for help?

This comes from the French word m’aidez – meaning, ‘help me’ – and is pronounced, approximately, ‘Mayday.’

Why are zero scores in tennis called ‘love’?

In France, where tennis became popular, the round zero on the scoreboard looked like an egg and was called ‘l’oeuf,’ which is French for ‘the egg.’ When tennis was introduced in the US, Americans mispronounced it ‘love.’ And then the word stuck on.

Why is shifting responsibility to someone else called ‘passing the buck’?

In card games, it was once customary to pass an item, called a buck, from player to player to indicate whose turn it was to deal. If a player did not wish to assume the responsibility of dealing, he would ‘pass the buck’ to the next player.

Why are people in the public eye said to be ‘in the limelight’?

Invented in 1825, limelight was used in lighthouses and theatres by burning a cylinder of lime which produced a brilliant light. In the theatre, a performer ‘in the limelight’ was the centre of attention.

Why is someone who is feeling great ‘on cloud nine’?

Types of clouds are numbered according to the altitudes they attain, with nine being the highest cloud. If someone is said to be on cloud nine, then that person is floating well above worldly cares.