> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-triumphs@Autox.Team.Net [mailto:owner-triumphs@Autox.Team.Net]
> On Behalf Of jonmac
>
> To 'closet' is a little more difficult. In common usage, it means
> different
> things in American English and British English. In American, it means a
> cupboard or small storage space. In English, it is a contraction of 'water
> closet' - the 'ancyent terme' for a water closet or toilet - and quite why
> you would want to work on a gearbox in there perplexes me! My personal
> activities in such a location are reading, thinking - and occasionally
> bursting into song. There's not a lot of room for any other activity. It
> also means 'to conceal within a small space' - ergo, don't forget to
> replace the transmission tunnel?
> I am confident Mr Hargreaves Mawson, Mr William Davis, Mr. Graham Stretch
> -
> and the undersigned, will be only too pleased to "clarify waters that may
> appear to be a little muddy to the unaware."
> Gentlemen, are we in accord?
John,
I can provide two possible explanations of "closeting" the gearbox. It most
likely refers to an owner's denial that his or her gearbox does not work as
others do. "Coming out of the closet" would be admitting to the world that
the gearbox does in fact have issues (though the gearbox itself may well be
perfectly happy the way it is!).
Equally, a "Skeleton in the closet" would refer to the fact that the
closeted gearbox had something amiss because of the DPO (dumb PRESENT
owner's) ineptitude with a previous repair.
Hopefully that's cleared up for everyone,
Cheers,
Bill.
http://www.rarebits4classics.co.uk
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