Question
Here is the question : WHICH ONE OF THESE VICTORIAN-ERA PHRASES MEANT TO GET A BLACK EYE?
Option
Here is the option for the question :
- Cop a mouse
- Take the egg
- Whooperup
- Bang up to the elephant
The Answer:
And, the answer for the the question is :
Explanation:
Back in the 19th century, if you received a black eye, people would have said that you ‘copped a mouse.’ The term “cop” might signify to obtain or acquire anything; yet, why is it spelled “mouse”? In any case, the majority of mice have a coloration that may be described as bluish-gray or black, and they are roughly the same size as the bruise that results from a black eye.
The Victorian era, which spanned from 1837 to 1901, was a time of great change and innovation in many areas of life, including language. During this time, many new phrases and slang terms were coined to describe everything from fashion to social interactions. One of these phrases was “cop a mouse,” which meant to get a black eye.
The origins of the phrase are somewhat unclear, but it’s believed to have been inspired by the idea of a mouse leaving a black mark on a surface. In this case, the surface was the skin around someone’s eye, which would turn black and blue after being hit. The idea of “copping” a mouse was a way to describe the act of receiving a blow to the eye, and it quickly caught on as a popular slang term.
During the Victorian era, getting into fights was not uncommon, especially among lower-class men. The phrase “cop a mouse” would have been used to describe a common occurrence, and it likely would have been understood by most people in the era. It was a way to describe a physical altercation in a colorful and playful way, and it added to the rich tapestry of slang that was developing during this time.
the phrase “cop a mouse” is no longer in common use, but it remains an interesting artifact of Victorian-era language. It’s a reminder of a time when language was constantly evolving and adapting to new circumstances, and it’s a testament to the enduring power of slang to capture the spirit of an era. And while getting a black eye may not be as common today as it was in the past, the phrase “cop a mouse” lives on as a reminder of a time when physical altercations were a part of everyday life.