Does anybody know where the expression "Bob's your uncle" comes from? I use it all the time, but don't know its origins. Is it British? I believe I got it from the corrupt mice in Nick Parks's "Chicken Run," but can't be sure….
British derivation. Just one of the many expressions I picked up during 18 years in The Land of Hope and Glory. AT least I don't use Cockney rhyming slang. Much.
"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. Not lost on the British public was the fact that Lord Salisbury just happened to be better known to Arthur Balfour as "Uncle Bob." In the resulting furor over what was seen as an act of blatant nepotism, "Bob's your uncle" became a popular sarcastic comment applied to any situation where the outcome was preordained by favoritism. As the scandal faded in public memory, the phrase lost its edge and became just a synonym for "no problem."
A lot! It is only supposed to hit 78 today, I don't know how I'm going to get anything done…. who am I kidding, it was 46 this morning and I rode my M50 to work and should break 70 by lunch time. I'm going dove hunting tomorrow with nothing but a t-shirt on. I love the Phoenix area!
Good riddance.
Does anybody know where the expression "Bob's your uncle" comes from? I use it all the time, but don't know its origins. Is it British? I believe I got it from the corrupt mice in Nick Parks's "Chicken Run," but can't be sure….
British derivation. Just one of the many expressions I picked up during 18 years in The Land of Hope and Glory. AT least I don't use Cockney rhyming slang. Much.
According to word-detective.com:
"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. Not lost on the British public was the fact that Lord Salisbury just happened to be better known to Arthur Balfour as "Uncle Bob." In the resulting furor over what was seen as an act of blatant nepotism, "Bob's your uncle" became a popular sarcastic comment applied to any situation where the outcome was preordained by favoritism. As the scandal faded in public memory, the phrase lost its edge and became just a synonym for "no problem."
A lot! It is only supposed to hit 78 today, I don't know how I'm going to get anything done…. who am I kidding, it was 46 this morning and I rode my M50 to work and should break 70 by lunch time. I'm going dove hunting tomorrow with nothing but a t-shirt on. I love the Phoenix area!
Meanwhile, some of us slip handwarmers into our pockets so we can defrost our fingers between shots. I miss the warm weather quite a lot right now.
Blimey, 'e 'ad an April Fool wiv 'im, 'e did.
Makes ya kinda homesick, don't it RF?
I don't miss the warm weather at all, it keeps all the Fudds off the ranges up here in ND. That and I just love all the 4 seasons.