americanisms

Riffraff – The Mississippi River was the main thoroughfare from north to south. Riverboats carried passengers and cargo, but they were expensive, so most people used rafts. Everything had the right of way over rafts, which were considered cheap. The steering oar was called a “riff”, which transposed into “riffraff.”

Showboat – This was a floating theater built on a barge that was pushed down the Mississippi. The boat did not have an engine, and the boat was gaudy and attracted attention, which is why we say that someone who is the life of the party is “showboating.”
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Barge in – Heavy freight was moved along the Mississippi in large barges pushed by steamboats. The barges were hard to control and would sometimes swing into piers or other boats. People would say, “They barged in.”

Shot of whiskey – In the old west a .45 cartridge for a six-gun cost 12 cents, and so did a glass of whiskey. If a cowhand was low on cash, he would often give a bartender a .45 cartridge for a drink. This became known as a “shot of whiskey.”
 
Math trivia – No piece of paper can be folded in half more than seven times.