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Folk Etymology
Legal
rule of thumbA rough, practical method or principle based on experience and approximation rather than exact measurement or strict theory.
Folk Etymology1685
First recorded 1800s
paint the town redTo go out and celebrate boisterously, enjoying an energetic night of drinking, entertainment and revelry around a town's bars and venues.
Folk Etymology1883
First recorded 1900s
back to square oneTo return to the very beginning of a task or process after an effort has failed, so that all previous progress is lost.
Folk Etymology1952
First recorded 1800s
red herringA deliberately misleading clue or piece of information introduced to distract attention from the real question or issue.
Folk Etymology1807