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getting down to brass tacks

The most popular etymology for this term actually deals with the purchase of fabric.

A customer buying fabric would take the entire bolt (not unlike today) to the counter to have it measured out by the yard.  While we now have rulers at fabric counters then they used brass tacks set into the countertop to measure out a yard.

Once the customer was done browsing, you knew they were serious about a purchase as they would "get down to brass tracks" to measure it out and buy it.

Which is why today we use the term to mean "getting down to business" or "getting serious about".

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