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Strange Origins of Common Words and Phrases & Meet Your Future Self

Something You Should Know

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The History of Close but No Cigars

"Close but no cigar" is a phrase used in carnival games from the 1920s. It means you were close at what you were trying to do, but you didn't win. "I think sometimes phrases are so evocative they're just so fun that they stick around on their own merit," says Bob Greene.

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