The phrase 'rule of thumb' is derived from and old English law which stated that you couldn't beat your wife with anything wider than your thumb.
48
The word "impossible" dropped in use by 50% over the course of the 20th century
5
Thinking in a foreign language makes decisions more rational.
6
The word "clitoris" comes from the Greek word meaning "side of a hill".
51
Hoover vacuum cleaners were so popular in the UK that many people now refer to vacuuming as hoovering.
59
More people in Africa speak French than in France itself.
12
There was no punctuation until the 15th century.
94