by Marla Lover February 13, 2010
Get the Marla the Mustang mug.This phrase originates from the Old English craft of Mustard making.
The chief mustard maker or Mustardeer would make their mustard in large oaken barrels, allowing each barrel to mature for a number of months. This maturing of the mustard produced a thick, leathery crust at the top of the barrel which would need to be removed before the contents could be tested.
The consistency of the crust would be such that a specialised cutting implement was required to remove it. Initially a modified scythe was used but this often lead to the crust being 'dragged' at certain points and falling into the rest of the mustard causing it to lose some of its distinctive flavour.
Over many years a specialised blade was developed that had an extremely thin leading edge which widened towards the centre and then tapered at the trailing edge although not to a sharp point. This allowed the blade to skim the majority of the topcrust off, leaving a very thin slice which would be left on to protect the mustard.
Due to the coarse, leathery nature of the topcrust the blade, over time, would develop dull spots along it's length and thus required constant monitoring.
When it was time to remove the topcrust the senior Mustardeer would instruct his apprentice to pass him the blade and would attempt to slice thorough the top leathery layer. The Mustardeer would know immediately if the blade was not sufficiently keen enough to complete the task and he would pass the blade back to the apprentice and say to him "I'm sorry, but That Doesn't Cut the Mustard"
The phrase has since passed into common usage describing anything that does not meet a certain standard.
The chief mustard maker or Mustardeer would make their mustard in large oaken barrels, allowing each barrel to mature for a number of months. This maturing of the mustard produced a thick, leathery crust at the top of the barrel which would need to be removed before the contents could be tested.
The consistency of the crust would be such that a specialised cutting implement was required to remove it. Initially a modified scythe was used but this often lead to the crust being 'dragged' at certain points and falling into the rest of the mustard causing it to lose some of its distinctive flavour.
Over many years a specialised blade was developed that had an extremely thin leading edge which widened towards the centre and then tapered at the trailing edge although not to a sharp point. This allowed the blade to skim the majority of the topcrust off, leaving a very thin slice which would be left on to protect the mustard.
Due to the coarse, leathery nature of the topcrust the blade, over time, would develop dull spots along it's length and thus required constant monitoring.
When it was time to remove the topcrust the senior Mustardeer would instruct his apprentice to pass him the blade and would attempt to slice thorough the top leathery layer. The Mustardeer would know immediately if the blade was not sufficiently keen enough to complete the task and he would pass the blade back to the apprentice and say to him "I'm sorry, but That Doesn't Cut the Mustard"
The phrase has since passed into common usage describing anything that does not meet a certain standard.
Don't give me your crap excuses, That Doesn't Cut the Mustard.
The computer you sold me is not upto the task for which I purchased it. Im sorry but it doesn't cut the mustard.
The computer you sold me is not upto the task for which I purchased it. Im sorry but it doesn't cut the mustard.
by Vauxhall Burgundy September 14, 2008
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A renowned gang of utter literate genius' who ruled the interweb with their witty banter and awfully good spelling!
Dude 1: hai have u hurrrd of the mustache gang?
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Dude 1: awww man they were the most epically clever amazing awesome people online ever in the whole wide WURLD.
Dude 2: Word.
by Streetamus Crimius January 14, 2010
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Get the packing the musket mug.On the 4th of june, it is six the musical day for all theater/musical fans! Where you can enjoy the entire musical without getting judged
Person A: its six the musical day!
Person B: i made an entire playlist for this day lets listen to it together!
Person B: i made an entire playlist for this day lets listen to it together!
by Some musical fan July 3, 2021
Get the Six the musical day mug.Dates back to 1850, but the exact origin is unknown. One theory is that it comes from the theater world, where musicians were in a pit in front of the stage, so "to face the music" was to turn towards the audience. Another theory says it comes from a Civil War military ceremony where an officer that is about to be cashiered is literally drummed out.
by papermachete December 28, 2005
Get the face the music mug.Does not pass standard. Is not good enough. Is lacking.
The passage about the mustardeer or cutting layers of hardened mustard is bullshit some troll made up.
The first recorded use of the phrase cut the mustard was by O. Henry in 1907, in a story called The Heart of the West: "I looked around and found a proposition that exactly cut the mustard". The modern sense of the idiom is 'to succeed; to have the ability to do something; to come up to expectations', but the phrase is most often used in the negative form, as "can't cut the mustard," meaning 'not able to handle the job'. The cut probably refers to harvesting the plant, so if one cannot cut the mustard, one cannot supply what is best. A phrase preceding cut the mustard is to be the mustard (c. 1903) meaning 'to be special' or 'to be exactly what is needed' with mustard being a slang term for importance. There is also another phrase keen as mustard meaning 'very enthusiastic'.
The passage about the mustardeer or cutting layers of hardened mustard is bullshit some troll made up.
The first recorded use of the phrase cut the mustard was by O. Henry in 1907, in a story called The Heart of the West: "I looked around and found a proposition that exactly cut the mustard". The modern sense of the idiom is 'to succeed; to have the ability to do something; to come up to expectations', but the phrase is most often used in the negative form, as "can't cut the mustard," meaning 'not able to handle the job'. The cut probably refers to harvesting the plant, so if one cannot cut the mustard, one cannot supply what is best. A phrase preceding cut the mustard is to be the mustard (c. 1903) meaning 'to be special' or 'to be exactly what is needed' with mustard being a slang term for importance. There is also another phrase keen as mustard meaning 'very enthusiastic'.
by NoMusturdeersExist October 31, 2014
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