“Staying in a carafe” is a popular phrase of 1896. It originated in the slang sense of the word carafe , ie “mouth”. This term thus defined is found in various slang dictionaries period as:
in 1880, in the New addition to the “Dictionary of Slang” of Loredan Larchey:
” Carafe : throat, jargon-thugs is poured into water and wine as in the decanter. ”
in 1907 Slang dictionary French- Hayard of Leon (1851-1903) Hayard said Napoleon, Emperor of hawkers:
” Jug , coconut, horn “: Throat throat.
Originally, this phrase was said in speaking of a person was left speechless in a speech after a lapse of memory, it was called in popular slang: it was “decanted” .
Later this meaning was extended to all situations where the person is “standing there” without recourse. Moreover, we find this meaning in the vocabulary of cyclists where “stay carafe” is said when a competitor is a puncture, the car’s sporting director did not troubleshoots and him only as the solution to the relief vehicle to reach the finish.
Read Michel Barbier and Michel said in Franc-Parler that the Littré gives a fuller expression:
“” It’s a real pitcher of barley water “. We know that the barley water (decoction of barley supplemented with an emulsion of almonds that are actually elongated and enriched water ice, a drink hygienic and refreshing Mediterranean) has a heavy appearance, somewhat viscous. Here, then, orgeat adds to the idea of ??yet carafe “