2006-09-30 22:51:38 · 7 answers · asked by DCF 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Trivia
Confess! Cough up refers to money. In the north of England, where bronchitis was/is endemic and people had deep-seated coughs, if someone was really coughing from the depths of their lungs one said, 'Cough it up, it might be a grand piano.'
In Liverpool, after the opening of the Mersey Tunnel, it was normal to say to someone who didn't cover their mouth when they yawned, or otherwise gawped, 'Shut yer mouth luv, thur's a bus comin''.
2006-09-30 23:03:58 · answer #1 · answered by cymry3jones 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe the actual saying is cough up ,it is a bit nicer than saying give me what you owe or i will break you legs
2006-10-01 05:56:45 · answer #2 · answered by taxed till i die,and then some. 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with the hiding of or swallowing of gems/coins/valuables...however, now "cough it up" may mean drugs...unless you choose to "wait" for 'em the old fashioned way.
2006-10-01 06:01:07 · answer #3 · answered by weasel_sponge 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Telling a white useless man pay money and what he dos owns to return women or his eyes lost
2006-10-01 06:12:34 · answer #4 · answered by ketty n 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think it comes from where the jew's in concentration camps used to eat there valuables so the germans wouldn't get hold of them. so they used to say cough it up.
2006-10-01 06:09:04 · answer #5 · answered by QueenB 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Days of the highway men - people would hide coins and gems in their mouths.
2006-10-01 05:56:23 · answer #6 · answered by Avondrow 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
deep down the throat!!!
2006-10-01 05:59:21 · answer #7 · answered by SADGIT 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋