Guest guest Posted March 10, 2006 Report Posted March 10, 2006 " Fisticuff " means " to fight with the fists, " combining " fist " with the verb " to cuff, " meaning " to beat or strike with the hand. " The origin of " cuff " in this sense is unknown, but it appears to be unrelated to " cuff " meaning " band around a sleeve. " Fisticuff is first recorded 1605, and the reference has nothing whatsoever to do with cuffs per se or how dirty (or clean) they may be or whether dirty cuffs will prevent a fight. > > > In a message dated 3/10/2006 11:30:19 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, > inglori@... writes: > > > I think it was back in the 1600s, possibly between the German and French. A > battle was scheduled at dawn the next day. But just before dawn a messenger > from one of the sides arrived into the enemy camp with a letter saying that > their soldiers had no clean lace cuffs left, so if they could please > postpone the battle for another day so as to have time to wash them? They > were granted this extra time. To fight in dirty cuffs - unthinkable! How > barbaric! > > > > That's the first I have heard of that. It could be true, though I suspect > that if it did happen, it was more of a ploy to buy time than actual concern > about wardrobe. > > > Quote
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