haywire

[misterdoe]

I used this word in a blog post complaining about the operating system on my "new" media player (Archos 605 Wifi 160GB) and it occurred to me that non-Americans may have little idea what it means. (I'm thinking the context may hint that it means something like "off course" but I can't be sure.)

Where did we get it from, anyway?

[skinem]

Here's what I've understood about it's origins--just going from memory--and it's made sense to me.

It used to be that bales of hay were held together by thin, pliable wire which was called hay wire. It usually came in fairly large rolls. Since it was so thin and pliable it was easy to slip off the roll in large amounts and become extremely tangled up leaving you with quite a mess to untangle or straighten out.

The reason it makes sense to me is that I'm old enough to remember and to have used lots and lots of hay wire on my dad's ranch. I've seen and created plenty of my own hay wire tangles. That's why the explanation I've heard always made sense. (Another common term for the stuff is baling wire--also good for mickey mousing things such as hanging exhaust pipes, etc. You don't see much baling or hay wire today--it's all pretty much twine.)

So when things go haywire, things have gone wrong.

...and it's much easier to say "Things just went haywire" than a more modern-day application such as "Things just went entertainment center/computer cable."

[Slava]

I saw recently that the idea came about because things on a farm are so often fixed with Hay Wire. Thus you have the concept of a jury rigged and hastily fixed thingamabob.

[LukeJavan8]

I have a friend, who lives on a farm, and every year
for Christmas and Birthday, I give him a box of
haywire and duct tape, or bailing wire as a substitute,
basically the same thing. Everything on the farm is
fixed with either/or.

[Slava]

I have a friend, who lives on a farm, and every year for Christmas and Birthday, I give him a box of
haywire and duct tape, or bailing wire as a substitute, basically the same thing. Everything on the farm is fixed with either/or.

As they say, you need only two items in your toolbox: WD-40 and duct tape.

If it doesn't move and it should, use the WD-40.
If it moves and it shouldn't, use the duct tape.

[sluggo]

I used this word in a blog post complaining about the operating system on my "new" media player (Archos 605 Wifi 160GB) and it occurred to me that non-Americans may have little idea what it means...

Those of us who have worked with Archos equipment over the years know too well what it means, and have amassed an arsenal of synonyms to boot, pun intended...

[LukeJavan8]

I have a friend, who lives on a farm, and every year for Christmas and Birthday, I give him a box of
haywire and duct tape, or bailing wire as a substitute, basically the same thing. Everything on the farm is fixed with either/or.

As they say, you need only two items in your toolbox: WD-40 and duct tape.

If it doesn't move and it should, use the WD-40.
If it moves and it shouldn't, use the duct tape.

WD-40 is good too!
The comment here is "bailing wire & duct tape".

[sluggo]

"Bailing wire"? Is that how you get the water out of a telegram?

[LukeJavan8]

Do they still have telegrams??????

Western Union??? But as for bailing water - if it works
do it!

[beck123]

"Bailing wire"? Is that how you get the water out of a telegram?

Telegraph language is usually pretty dry, so that's how they must do it.

[beck123]

baleful - sufficient hay for one storage unit.

[Slava]

Too much snappy wit for me, time to bail from this bale. I prefer a slower pace.

[LukeJavan8]

Oh, come on!
You are darn good at it! I enjoy the repartee with you.
Don't bale, bail, bawl, whatever !