I was always given to understand it came from chopping or splitting wood-the original word whack or thwack meant a blow- when you are chopping you want to keep putting one chop right in the same spot as the previous ones or you simply make lots of little chips 7 splinters, of little value in getting job done- if you are missing the mark, not quite right, you were out of whack.
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MJB:
March 8th, 2015 at 12:40 pm
I was always given to understand it came from chopping or splitting wood-the original word whack or thwack meant a blow- when you are chopping you want to keep putting one chop right in the same spot as the previous ones or you simply make lots of little chips 7 splinters, of little value in getting job done- if you are missing the mark, not quite right, you were out of whack.