things I find on Linguaphiles LJ community...

[locriansax]

"Is it: "to make ends meet" or "to make ends meat" or is it both?

Also, where does this saying come from?"

Now, I'm going to assume this is from a non-native speaker.
Nonetheless, it gave me a little chuckle.

I wonder what it would be if it was "to make ends meat...."?????

Comments

[khourytamarisk]

Burnt ends are taaaasty.

[locriansax]

now I'm hungry again...

[uruz]

you and your "meating"

[silvana]

Well, if you think about other phrases related to supporting oneself, it makes sense, actually... "Bringing home the bacon," for instance.

"To make ends meat" could mean to get enough money to buy the basic meat needed to feed your family - which, before modern supermarkets, were probably going to be the odds and ends of the butcher's shop.

"To make ends meet" - is harder to imagine, actually, if you don't know what "ends" it is referring to.

[pinklikecandy]

"Nice to meat you"

I saw it on a Big Mac advertisement.