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johnfowles · 09-05-2004, 12:02 PM

Oops I just asked Susan what she understands suspenders are and she confirmed that they hold up (trousers) pants.
And my trusty UK dictionary says
"braces n. Brit. A pair of straps worn over the shouilders by men for holding up the trousers. US word suspenders.
look at http://www.getshirty.com/scan/fi=pro...ort/st=db.html
Well Well you learn something every day.
Or as Winnie use to say about the fact that he had both English and American blood
"two nations divided by a common language"

I must henceforth be careful if I use the good old English expression "belts and braces" obviously.
P.S. A further thought I think that most red-blooded Englishmen would think "suspenders" is short for "suspender belt"
defined as 'A belt with suspenders hanging from it to hold up women's stockings i.e. an obsolete pre-pantythose item we once had to struggle with!!
(where "pants" of course refers solely to underpants and has nothing whatsoever to do with trousers!!!)

------------------
My Gordon Lightfoot webring
starts at
http://www.johnfowles.org.uk/lightfoot

[This message has been edited by johnfowles (edited September 05, 2004).]

09-05-2004, 12:02 PM	#34
johnfowles Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: New Jersey U.S.A. ex UK and Canada Posts: 4,846	Oops I just asked Susan what she understands suspenders are and she confirmed that they hold up (trousers) pants. And my trusty UK dictionary says "braces n. Brit. A pair of straps worn over the shouilders by men for holding up the trousers. US word suspenders. look at http://www.getshirty.com/scan/fi=pro...ort/st=db.html Well Well you learn something every day. Or as Winnie use to say about the fact that he had both English and American blood "two nations divided by a common language" I must henceforth be careful if I use the good old English expression "belts and braces" obviously. P.S. A further thought I think that most red-blooded Englishmen would think "suspenders" is short for "suspender belt" defined as 'A belt with suspenders hanging from it to hold up women's stockings i.e. an obsolete pre-pantythose item we once had to struggle with!! (where "pants" of course refers solely to underpants and has nothing whatsoever to do with trousers!!!) ------------------ My Gordon Lightfoot webring starts at http://www.johnfowles.org.uk/lightfoot [This message has been edited by johnfowles (edited September 05, 2004).]