The use of âholidayâ to mean âa missed spotâ appears to be that rarity in English etymology, a word or phrase that actually has a nautical origin. The original use of âholidayâ in the âmissed a spotâ sense, back in the 18th century, was in reference to crew members painting the decks of a ship or âpayingâ (sealing seams with tar or pitch) its hull.
The knee jerk reflex is when a tendon above the kneecap is tapped with a reflex hammer, which causes the whole leg to involuntarily jerk.
The patellar tendon will move when pressure is put on it whether or not the patient wants it to. This is because the nerves there connect directly to the spinal cord rather than the brain. The knee jerk reflex test is therefore used to check for nerve damage in the nerve system as a whole. The different kinds of responses a medical professional will get when striking the patellar tendon can be graded.