Whereas one might “86” an unneeded internal memo, one would “deep-six”
an incriminating one. The term may have derived from navigation in earlier
centuries, where anything more than 6 fathoms (36 feet / 11m) deep under water was
unlikely to be recovered. Alternatively, this term could relate to burial at sea -
that 6 fathoms was the legal minimum depth for the body to be immersed. |
