Question

On the Cuff on credit; to be paid later

Accepted Answer

Cosmo couldn't pay his bill, so he asked the owner to put it on the cuff. This expression probably came from the days when bartenders in old saloons wore stiff cuffs that detached from the end of their shirt sleeves. When customers wanted to pay for their drinks at a later date, the bartender often wrote the charges down on his cuffs. There is another, similar idiom, "off the cuff," that has a totally different meaning: to speak about or do something freely without thinking about it first.

Idiom	On the Cuff
Example	Cosmo couldn't pay his bill, so he asked the owner to put it on the cuff.
Meaning	on credit; to be paid later
Origin	This expression probably came from the days when bartenders in old saloons wore stiff cuffs that detached from the end of their shirt sleeves. When customers wanted to pay for their drinks at a later date, the bartender often wrote the charges down on his cuffs. There is another, similar idiom, "off the cuff," that has a totally different meaning: to speak about or do something freely without thinking about it first.

Cuff Pay Cosmo Bill Asked Owner Put Credit