Rich7
January 12, 2005, 8:50am
1
Test No. [color=blue]incompl/inter-83 “Save Our Animals (3)”, question 3
She just wished that her father could … and be even steven (fair) about her side of the argument.
(a) try
Test No. [color=blue]incompl/inter-83 “Save Our Animals (3)”, answer 3
She just wished that her father could try and be even steven (fair) about her side of the argument.
Correct answer: (a) try
Your answer was: [color=green]correct
what’s the word here for fair I don’t get it…
The expression even steven means fair. It will greatly help if you read Alan story here:english-test.net/lessons/36/index.html [YSaerTTEW443543]
TOEFL listening lectures: A lecture from an Art History class [YSaerTTEW443543]
Aiken
August 10, 2010, 2:44am
3
Dear teachers,
Why “even steven” means fair?
Thanks in advance
Aiken
Hello Aiken,
No one is exactly sure of the origin of this phrase.
‘Even’ means ‘fair’, and most people seem to think that “Even Steven” (also known in some areas as ‘Even Stevens’) is merely modern rhyming word-play (like “drop dead, Fred”, “see you later, alligator” “silly-billy”, or “know what I mean, jelly bean?”).
There are other theories, including one about a racehorse with the name ‘Even Stevens’ (that much is fact) who was so good that the odds offered on him in a race were generally no better than ‘even’. Another theory dates the phrase back to the beginning of the 18th Century but it gets very complex at this point.
Aiken
August 10, 2010, 8:40am
5
Dear Bees,
Thanks your fully explanation.
Aiken
Most rhyming slang phrases seem to originate from Britain (including this one).
Saneta
September 26, 2011, 11:41am
7
please explain: about her side of the argument?
Alan
September 26, 2011, 6:31pm
9
Hi,
I know it as ‘even stevens ’.
I found this:
even stevens/even stephens - equal measures, fair shares, especially financial or value - earliest origins and associations are probably found in Jonathan Swift’s ‘Journal To Stella’ written 20 Jan 1748: “Now we are even quoth Stephen, when he gave his wife six blows for one”. A separate and possibly main contributory root is the fact that ‘Steven’ or ‘Stephen’ was English slang for money from early 1800’s, probably from Dutch stiver/stuiver/stuyver, meaning something of little value, from the name for a low value coin which at one time was the smallest monetary unit in the Cape (presumably South Africa) under the Dutch East India Company, equal to about an old English penny. An expression seems to have appeared in the 1800’s ‘Steven’s at home’ meaning one has money. The alliterative (rhyming) sound of the expression would have made it a natural reference or paired words expression and ensured common usage. People like saying things that trip comfortably off the tongue. (ref Cassell)
Alan
Saneta
September 27, 2011, 10:07am
10
pleae explain:
many thanks
That’s a partial sentence. What’s the rest?
Saneta
September 28, 2011, 8:28am
12
I know that’s a part of the sentence, but what does it mean?
thanks
Alan
September 28, 2011, 8:40am
13
Hi Saneta,
This suggests that you should be objective and see her point of view within the argument.
Alan