@pyrmont This is a great explanation of the phrase. I try to be more descriptivist than prescriptivist myself—an inner conflict!—however I agree completely that it's a shame when words and phrases drop their meaning entirely, due to misunderstanding or ignorance, rather than gaining new or alternative meanings. I'd say that the word 'literally' is also an example of this. People use it to mean 'actually' or 'really' and then the original meaning of 'literally' is lost. Would there even be a word for it anymore?