When I was your age . . .

I tried to look up the term "withering fire." It is used so often, I thought it might have a technical meaning in warfare. Apparently not. I did find a poem that fails to explain it.

I had the same experience with "stumbling block." I thought it might have some archaic meaning, like "stiff necked" which I think comes from the behavior of animals resisting the yoke or harness, or kicking against the pricks.

There are so many terms I've heard all my life, that I keep wondering about now. I guess I'm getting old. Or maybe it's that I just listened to Andy Rooney.