"leaps and bounds"

[James Smith]

No evidence, but something to consider.  The two
phrases have pretty much opposite meanings, at least
to me.  "Metes and bounds" brings to mind limiting,
confining, conservative, set, the setting of
boundaries; whereas "leaps and bounds" brings to me an
image of something that is expansive, effusive,
enthusiastic, even excessive.



--- Nathan Bierma <nbierm65 at CALVIN.EDU> wrote:

> A reader was told by a real estate teacher that the
> phrase "leaps and bounds"
> was derived from the phrase "by metes and bounds." I
> can't find any support for
> this, but I can't find anything else on "leaps and
> bounds" in the ASD-L archive,
> or anywhere else. Can anyone soundly refute this?
>
>
> Nathan Bierma
> "On Language" columnist
> Chicago Tribune
> www.nbierma.com/language
>
>
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> The American Dialect Society -
> http://www.americandialect.org
>

James D. SMITH                 |If history teaches anything
South SLC, UT                  |it is that we will be sued
jsmithjamessmith at yahoo.com     |whether we act quickly and decisively
                               |or slowly and cautiously.

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org