The Meaning Behind Off the Cuff

SEELEY LAKE - More than one politician has created problems for himself by speaking “off the cuff.” In the case of a politician the phrase means talking without having a written speech to refer to, or not having sufficiently thought things through before speaking. But what does that have to do with cuffs?

Although a number of theories have cropped up about how, when and why the phrase came into existence, what is certain is that the cuff in question is a man’s paper shirt cuff. From the late 19th century to the early 20th, collars and cuffs were made to be removable. Because a dress shirt gene...