Grammar Girl here. I'm Injohn Fogarty, your friendly guide to the English language. Today,

in honor of dictionary.com, picking six, seven, as their word of the year, we're going to look at some

other numerical phrases, 23 skidoo, and being at Sixes and Sevens. But before we start,

a listener named Scott wrote in with more history about the phrase Ghost in the Machine.

It turns out this phrase actually originates in philosophy. The British philosopher,

Gilbert Ryle, coined the phrase in reference to Renee Descartes' theory of mind-body dualism.

Scott explained that Descartes, quote, believed that the mind was independent of the body, a soul.

This theory was informally referred to as the ghost in the Machine Theory, because you are a mind

or soul trapped in a body."

Super interesting.

Thanks, Scott.

So recently, I found myself chatting with some friends, feeling witty, and when it came

time to leave, I confidently declared that it was time to 52

skidoo. It rhymed. It felt right. I must have been thinking of playing cards. But my friends

looked confused and said, you mean 23 skidoo, right? Well, embarrassed, I laughed it off,

but it got me wondering, why 23 skidoo? I mean, what's so

special about the number 23? And why Skidoo? I mean, it's an odd phrase. Well, 23 Skidoo is one of those

quirky American expressions that emerged in the early 20th century.

At its peak, you could find it in songs and ads and on penance and armbands at fairs, parks,

and resorts all over the country.

In at least at one firehouse, engine number 23 became known as the Skidoo engine.

It means to leave quickly or to be kicked out.

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