Steersman wrote:feathers wrote:Steersman wrote:Thanks for the vote of confidence, even if it is somewhat of a left-handed compliment. :-) And have definitely been thinking of a blog - had thought, briefly, of throwing my hat into the FTB ring ;-)
I thought it's your glove you throw into the ring.
Maybe location dependent colloquialism? But seems to have some venerable (UK)
provenance:
Meaning: Make or take up a challenge, or demonstrate one's willingness to join an enterprise.
Origin: The ring in question here is a boxing ring. ....
The expression dates from at least the early 19th century. The earliest citation of it that I have found is from an 1805 issue of The Sporting Magazine, or as the publishers preferred to call it The Sporting Magazine or Monthly Calendar of the Transactions of the Turf, the Chace, and every other Diversion Interesting to the Man of Pleasure, Enterprise and Spirit ...
Fer Glub's sake! All of these are true and accurate meanings:
1. Cast down the gauntlet (ie armoured glove) - to make a challenge. Akin to a gentle slap on the cheek with one's lilac coloured (yet violet scented, in all likelihood) glove when wishing to issue a challenge for a duel.
2. Throw your hat in the ring - to express a desire to enter a contest of wit, will or strength. What Terry ought to have done if he really wanted to be a contender.
3. Throw in the towel - to admit defeat, and the ring into which it is thrown is implicit, perhaps because it will be the seconds of the one-time contender who realise they cannot revive him for a little more brain damage in the next round.
As an example of #2, I'm sure you all recall the first official American squadron to become active on the western front in 1917, as their emblem was this:
We shall pass lightly over why they may have been three years late to the party, other than to point out that isolationism, exceptionalism, and the Monroe Doctrine have led to more than one such instance. One hopes Generalissimo Trump is not about to embark his nation on another period of struthionism.
Yep, I made that one up. Neologism ©screwtape 2017