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Turn him down

Posted by Bob Queenan on July 14, 2009 at 17:16

I've recently read that the phrase "turn him down" comes from an 1800s custom for marriage proposals - that a man proposed by looking into a hand mirror and then offering it to his intended. If she looked in - joined their images - and put it down face up, she accepted. If, however, she put it down face down - turned him down - she did not accept. True? Legend? Fantasy?

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