Who knew there were so many words! Shocking!
I am also a bit upset that the Americans have no idea what Lollypop Ladies/Men are and bum bags! (which I think Im going to test-out soon in public!).
Apparently the Americans call bum bags 'fanny packs' (snigger!)
Apparently The first use of "whoops-a-daisy" per se is around 1925, in a New Yorkercartoon. It's an expression of surprise or dismay, specifically upon discovering one's own error. The modern-day equivalent would be "D'oh!", I'm afraid, which is much less expressive. The term was shortened to "whoops" by 1937, and appears in that form in a letter by Ezra Pound, no less. One assumes that it was related to the expression "to whoop," as in giving "whoops of joy." That usage goes back to the early 1600s.
But I also found this : "Terms such as "up-a-daisy" dates to the early 1700s, as an encouragement to a child who has fallen to stand up, or as an exclamation upon lifting a child. It's basically a nonsense phrase, presumably intended to amuse the little ones. Variants include "upsi-daisy" or "upsy-daisy" from the 1860s as well as "upsa-daisy" . . . " and "whoops-a-daisy"?
Hahaha! Yay, i've signed on! Now i can comment and spy and its going to be aqwesome! xx
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