I don't remember the source but a few weeks ago I emailed this to myself. The link is to somewhere in Politico.com. The question is not about politics, or even erstwhile front-runner-of-the-week Newt Gingrich. Instead it's about terminology.
Lede of the day: "Oh, Newtie, excite us, delight us, make our knees grow weak."
Weak in the knees? I've heard the phrase for years, and read or heard the phrase in works going back till at least the beginning of the 20th Century. But where did this come from?
Do people really get weak in the knees from enthusiasm or excitement? Political, or erotic, or otherwise?
"Weak knees" has been used to imply fear for millinea. That makes sense.
But weak in the knees from excitement, delight, or arousal?
I usually feel anything but weak then. But maybe that's just me.
What's your take?
Tags:
Oh, "weak in the knees" does
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 2011-12-26 14:58.Oh, "weak in the knees" does totally describe a particular form of arousal to me. You might have the same sensation and label it differently, or it might vary from one person to another (have heard too many men use the expression to think it's likely to be an XX/XY difference).
I definitely get the feeling
Submitted by Eve (not verified) on Mon, 2011-12-26 16:04.I definitely get the feeling of being weak in the knees, but it's very specific for me. It's when I'm really aroused by a partner starting to seduce me. It's the sudden rush of excitement when things go from a bit flirtatious to full on steamy and I suddenly find standing very difficult. Imagine being on the receiving end at the moment when your partner starts kissing you harder, grabbing your grabbable places desperately, and pulling you very close. The point when you suddenly feel you absolutely have to take off any pesky clothing that's getting in the way or else the world will end. My knees buckle a little and I start to melt. That's the only situation in which I can recall feeling weak in the knees. So it's definitely an arousal thing for me, but it's not just any old time I'm horny. And I don't feel it when I'm the one initiating things or being dominant.
Yep, exactly this...
Submitted by JM (not verified) on Tue, 2011-12-27 03:41.Yep, exactly this...
Yep, I get that feeling. The
Submitted by Q (not verified) on Mon, 2011-12-26 16:21.Yep, I get that feeling. The first time I got head? I suddenly lost the ability to stand, and it was delightful.
Very much so. When I know I'm
Submitted by PattyCake (not verified) on Mon, 2011-12-26 21:15.Very much so. When I know I'm about to get some sex I often find myself feeling very weak-legged.
It is indeed a thing. I've
Submitted by Diatryma (not verified) on Mon, 2011-12-26 21:36.It is indeed a thing. I've had it-- kissing a lot standing up means I start to wobble a bit and head for a wall. I've also had my legs go trembly with rage; I didn't know I had that kind of anger in me.
Yes! And shivering, although
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 2012-02-02 20:22.Yes! And shivering, although that might have been an early reaction when I first started having sex. Sometimes a wall isn't enough, I end up tangled on the floor anyway. My partner always wants to go down on me while she kneels and wraps her arms around my legs and I stand--I think i's just so my clit would get trembly and then my legs and we'd end up sprawled on the floor together.
"...and we'd end up sprawled
Submitted by figleaf on Thu, 2012-02-02 23:32."...and we'd end up sprawled on the floor together." If that's why then that's seems like a great way to just romantically intensifying your experience with each other. Sigh. Thanks, A. --fl
I've had weak knees -and
Submitted by Haribeaux (not verified) on Tue, 2011-12-27 02:48.I've had weak knees -and jelly legs - after bouts of especially amazing sex (not before).
Yup. I'm not sure I *can*
Submitted by Ali (not verified) on Thu, 2011-12-29 16:05.Yup. I'm not sure I *can* come while standing -- my knees start buckling and I start doubling over and it's just way too distracting to manage this whole "standing" business. I vastly prefer sitting or lying down or something similar for my sex.
Oh, absolutely. And not just
Submitted by clandestine (not verified) on Fri, 2011-12-30 17:28.Oh, absolutely. And not just during an explicitly sexual encounter, either - just a couple weeks ago, a suggestive text message from a new love interest had me literally collapse into a chair. Swoon.
Ok, I stand... or maybe
Submitted by figleaf on Fri, 2011-12-30 17:56.Ok, I stand... or maybe shakily sit... corrected. Thank you all!
Now that I know what I've been missing though... Hmm. :-) --fl
Now that I think about it,
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 2011-12-31 17:05.Now that I think about it, it's relatively rarely that I've felt literally weak-kneed. I think of "weak in the knees" as more of a sort of giddy, swirling, tingling sensation that kind of goes to the back of my knees. It's a rush, all right, but I'm not actually feeling like falling over. But in any case it's been long enough since I felt quite that way that it's a bit hazy in my mind.