Table of Contents
- 1 Why do the British say Bob your uncle?
- 2 Why Is Bob your uncle and Fanny’s your aunt?
- 3 What does the saying TIE ONE ON mean?
- 4 What are common British phrases?
- 5 What is the meaning of happy as a Sandboy?
- 6 Who is Larry in as happy as Larry?
- 7 What is the origin of the phrase ‘all is Bob’?
- 8 What is the origin of the phrase ‘Spiro is Your Uncle’?
Why do the British say Bob your uncle?
“Bob’s your uncle” is a way of saying “you’re all set” or “you’ve got it made.” It’s a catch phrase dating back to 1887, when British Prime Minister Robert Cecil (a.k.a. Lord Salisbury) decided to appoint a certain Arthur Balfour to the prestigious and sensitive post of Chief Secretary for Ireland.
Why Is Bob your uncle and Fanny’s your aunt?
The meaning is similar to that of the French expression “et voilà!” or the American phrase “easy as pie”. A phrase with the same meaning is ‘Fanny’s your aunt’. When used together it means complete or the whole lot. If Bob’s your uncle and Fanny’s your aunt you’ve got a full set of relatives and you are complete.
Where did the expression bobs your uncle come from?
In 1887, British Prime Minister Robert Gascoyne-Cecil appointed his nephew Arthur James Balfour as Minister for Ireland. The phrase ‘Bob’s your uncle’ was coined when Arthur referred to the Prime Minister as ‘Uncle Bob’. Apparently, it’s very simple to become a minister when Bob’s your uncle!
How do you use Bob’s your uncle in a sentence?
Example Sentences
- You add two cups of water to the mix, heat it for five minutes and Bob’s your uncle, the soup is ready.
- Just give it a good mix and apply it on the affected areas, and Bob’s your uncle, the pimple will vanish in 10 minutes.
What does the saying TIE ONE ON mean?
Become intoxicated; go on a drinking spree. For example, They went out and really tied one on. The precise allusion here—what it is one ties on—is unclear. [ Slang; mid-1900s]
What are common British phrases?
11 Bloody Brilliant British English Phrases
- “Fancy a cuppa?” meaning: “Would you like a cup of tea?”
- “Alright?” meaning: “Hey, how are you?”
- “I’m knackered!” meaning: “I’m tired.”
- Cheeky. meaning: playful; mischievous.
- “I’m chuffed to bits!” meaning “I’m very pleased.”
- Bloody. meaning: very.
- To bodge something.
- “I’m pissed.”
Who was Reilly?
Reilly, whose real name was Shlomo Rosenblum, was born in 1873 in what is now the Ukraine. He left a trail of false identities and devious frauds that made him precisely the type of person SIS (the forerunner of MI6) needed as an agent in its battle against Bolshevism. He later claimed to have been born in Ireland.
What does goes like the clappers mean?
very fast
Definition of like the clappers British, informal. : very fast We drove/ran like the clappers.
What is the meaning of happy as a Sandboy?
Sandboy: As happy as a sandboy is an expression which implies blissful contentment.
Who is Larry in as happy as Larry?
Larry Foley
Larry Foley was an australian boxer who never lost a fight. His last fight was in the 1870’s, he was paid the vast sum of £1000 and won the fight – “hence as happy as Larry”.
What does it mean to hang tight?
Definition of hang tight US, informal. : to wait before doing anything Investors are being advised to hang tight until the stock market rebounds.
Where did the phrase ‘Bob’s Your Uncle’ come from?
It is often used immediately after a set of simple instructions and roughly means the same as ‘… and it’s as simple as that !’ In 1887, British Prime Minister Robert Gascoyne-Cecil appointed his nephew Arthur James Balfour as Minister for Ireland. The phrase ‘Bob’s your uncle’ was coined when Arthur referred to the Prime Minister as ‘Uncle Bob’.
What is the origin of the phrase ‘all is Bob’?
A second interpretation has it that the phrase derives from the slang term ‘all is bob’, meaning ‘all is well’. That term is listed in Captain Francis Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, 1785: A shoplifter’s assistant, or one that receives and carries off stolen goods.
What is the origin of the phrase ‘Spiro is Your Uncle’?
They use ‘Spiro is your uncle’ to denote nepotism there. 2. A second interpretation has it that the phrase derives from the slang term ‘all is bob’, meaning ‘all is well’. That term is listed in Captain Francis Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, 1785:
Where did the phrase ‘nepotism of an uncle for his nephew’ originate?
The difficulty with the first two suggested origins is the date. The phrase itself isn’t recorded until the 1920s. It would seem odd for a phrase to be coined about the nepotism of an uncle for his nephew well after both Prime Ministers were out of office.