The other day my friend told me that most evenings, after returning from work, she fixes dinner. Pretty normal behavior, I grant you.
But it got me to wondering.
Why do we say that we “fix” dinner? What is broken?
And why is turkey served up with “all the fixin’s” on Thanksgiving?
Where else does this use of “fix” come into our expressions and where else would it be fun to apply it?
I’m fixing to get to the bottom of this fix I’m in.
The Fixx?
I think you can also get your pet fixed, but that might not be good for dinner.
@ mark
That is a fantastic example of where “fixing” something is the exact opposite! Nothing is broken when you start, although some might argue it works too well, and when you’re done it definitely doesn’t work any more. So much for fixing!
One meaning of to fix, albeit slightly euphemistic, is to prepare. Fixings are all the accoutrement with which a turkey or other large entrée is prepared. This is a very casual (common) branch of English.