Date: Fri, 25 May 2012 22:58:57 -0500 (CDT) From: Robert Bonomi <bonomi@mail.r-bonomi.com> To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Terminology: wheel Message-ID: <201205260358.q4Q3wvel072365@mail.r-bonomi.com> In-Reply-To: <20120526035929.ecd5134f.freebsd@edvax.de>
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> From: Polytropon <freebsd@edvax.de> > > On Fri, 25 May 2012 21:52:12 -0400, Matthew Story wrote: > > http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheel_(Unix_term) > > Ah, thanks! I hoped there was a more... technical explaination > than just "wheel" being a slang term derivate. :-) > > big wheel (idiomatic) > A person with a great deal of power or influence, > especially a high-ranking person in an organization. > > slang "big wheel" -> wheel bit -> wheel group There are numerous 'wheel' related terms in the 'casual English' lexicon. See 'wheeler dealer', for example. Those 'at the wheel' are those who are in charge -- in immediate control of steering the ship. See also 'wheel horse'. which has a secondary meaning of 'a diligent, dependble worker' -- one who can be trusted to 'do things right' (defined as 'the way the boss wants it done' :) Derived from a position in a team of horses used to pull wagons, coaches, etc. Some horses do *not* work well in a team at all, others are intractable if they are not in a 'lead' position, A 'wheel horse' will work behind others. They will, _without_complaint_, follow the "horse's ass" in the lead. The parallel to computer operations staff (the wheel group) is obvious. *GRIN*
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