indeed, learnt the other day what 'beyond the pale' means

a pale being a post in a type fence that they used to encircle old settlements with back in the very long time agos. inside the pale was all safe and comfy and beyond the pale, well you really really shouldn't go there.

It's meaning is now virtually obsolete except as used in this phrase, but still in use in the associated words 'paling' (as in paling fence) and 'impale' (as in Dracula movies) or Vlad the Impaler or, in describing lightness of colour. Nothing to do with buckets though. *dings bell*

Posted By: Tombs, Nov 3, 15:15:09