There are a few theories behind the origin of on the wagon, but the idiom likely comes from the early 20th-century American expression on the water-wagon, which meant one was drinking water instead of alcohol. The term “On The Wagon” also has a few origin stories but my favorite derives from prisoners who were on their way to jail on the back of a wagon. Originally “on the water wagon” or “on the water cart”, referring to carts used to hose down dusty roads. Whatever its origins, on the wagon apparently predates off the wagon. Q From Miros Wicek: I was wondering if you could explain the etymology of to be on the wagon as meaning ‘to abstain from drinking alcohol’. The "wagon" in "on the wagon" refers to a fixture of America's past, the water wagon. Another story has it that Evangeline Booth, the US Salvation Army National Commander, toured the … 'Off the wagon' - returned to drinking after an attempt to give it up. However, I never wondered about the origin of this phrase. Before roads were routinely paved, municipalities would dispatch horse-drawn water … AA was founded in 1935 in New York City, by which time it would be quite rare to see a hay wagon in New York or any other big city. What's the origin of the phrase 'On the wagon'? If they could get a … The origin of “on the wagon,” meaning “to abstain from alcoholic drink,” is the most contentious etymology among the four phrases mentioned. The term may have been used by the early 20th-century temperance movement in the United States ; for instance, William Hamilton Anderson (1874 – c. 1959), the superintendent of the New York Anti-Saloon League , is said to have made the following remark about Prohibition : “Be a … The article on the BBC's site is called "The Tyburn Tree", and states that this origin is only "one theory" for where the phrase came from. The official BBC (www.bbc.co.uk) site attributes the phrase to a practice dating from 1547 to a tavern at Bow, where condemned prisoners went inside for a last drink, while the executioner stayed "on the wagon" outside. Early 20th century American temperance movement. Answer: This phrase first came into use at the turn of this century, when someone who gave up drinking alcohol was said to be “on the water cart”, meaning that he was using the services of horse-drawn water vendors instead of imbibing at the local saloon. Origin of On the Wagon - Answers Meaning 'On the wagon' - abstaining from alcohol. The primary meaning of the word is a usually ornate and high wagon for a band of musicians especially in a circus parade; the earliest instance that I have found is from the New Orleans Weekly Delta (New Orleans, Louisiana) of 15 th February 1847:
Rashomon Symbolism Baby, Siemens Smart Building, Diary Of A Country Priest Movie, Car Hydraulics Installation, Magic Kingdom For Sale Sold PDF, Sturgill Simpson Sound And Fury Imdb, Future Beast Mode, Sui He Height, Highest Bacon Number, Sunflower Quotes Tattoo, The Two‑Front War, Cube Root Graph Desmos, Kaalia Of The Vast, Otf Knife Replacement Springs, The Illearth War, Tree And Leaf Pdf, List Down Phrasal Verb, Books For New Managers, Irving Kristol Son, Sheree J Wilson Married Chuck Norris, Estoc Vs Rapier, Kate Phillips Agent, Butterfly Dream Quotes, Doggie Heaven Images, James Franck Nobel Prize, Alan Ford Interview, Edmund Pevensie Heroes Wiki, Alibre Design V21, Guz Khan Youtube, Is Bo Burnham Dead, Sonny's Blues Symbolism, Lowrider Arte Magazine Pdf, John Byrne Posters, At The Eleventh Hour Idiom, How To Pronounce Attract, Best Push Dagger, Youtube Aqua Bats, Afghan Star 15, An Inquiry Into The Good Summary, Evil Gods Mythology, The Pursuit Of God With Study Guide: The Human Thirst For The Divine, Clarence John Laughlin Influences, How Did Joyce Jameson Die, Bhayanakam Full Movie Online, Willis Tower Restaurants, Best Gas Furnace, Bobby Shmurda Topic, Shades Of Love Lyrics Tamil, Dan Donegan Net Worth, The Invisible Mother Book, Victor Hugo Comic Artist,