Another one of my unfinished sentences and some responses to it from October 1992:
The expression, "Get the lead out," probably originates from...
...writing. Pencils have lead; it means to write fast, real fast. (Neil S.)
...Zeppelin, baby. (Dan L.)
...a pipe maker, (who) got hungry and yelled to his wife, "Get the red trout." His wife, not knowing her husband had caught any trout earlier that day, assumed that he must be screaming for more pipe making materials from his stash in the shed. Thus, the wife "got the lead out." (Paul H.)
...the original great statement, "Get the plumbate out!" (This) referred to drinking water, which was served in pewter goblets. Since Diet Coke wasn't invented 'til the 20th century, it was roughly the equivalent of "Get the sugar/caffeine/salt/taste out." (Eric S.)
