I recently saw The Last Samori and a phrase came up.
Where did the phrase give them no quarter originate from?
http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-giv1.htm
IMHO the most likely explanation is 'It’s possible also that to give quarters could refer to the need to provide prisoners with a place to stay, so that to give no quarter was a figurative way of saying “take no prisoners”.'
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quarter?show=0&t=1288788436
"merciful consideration of an opponent ; specifically : the clemency of not killing a defeated enemy "
Not sure which came first, the definition or the expression.
Thre phrase originated from the days of sailing and boarding of ships in battle. It was considewred that if the enemy got control of the quarter deck they would take the ship. So give them no quarter means don't let any enemy onto the quarter deck and so take the ship. Ahah me hearties yo ho ho and a bucket of blood and all that.
at your picture on the silver screen. Pipe and all, up against Clint Eastwood and the other guy, about to shoot it out by the cemetary for the $200,000 that was supposedly buried with the guy.
Anyway, you know that Clint Eastwood comes out on top !!
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly !!!
Lee Marvin is "The Bad".
Turner Classic Movies, channel 42 here in this part of Southern Alberta.
...ain't bad!
Thanks to the 'Net gods, I don't have to trouble my memory all that much!!!
