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British Idioms: Part 2
5 years agoFollowing on from my post last week, here are some more British idioms that I have found.
1. At a loose end.
If you’re at a loose end, it means you’re bored or you have nothing to do.
Example: “He’s been at a loose end ever since he retired.”
2. As the actress said to the bishop.
This is the British equivalent of ‘that’s what she said.’ It highlights a sexual reference whether it was deliberate or not.
3. Bob’s your uncle (and fanny’s your aunt).
This phrase means that something will be successful. It is the equivalent of ‘and there you go’. Adding the ‘and fanny’s your aunt’ makes you that much more British.
Example:
A: “Where’s the Queen Elizabeth Pub?”
B: “You go down the road, take the first left and Bob’s your uncle (and Fanny's your aunt) — there it is on the corner!”
With number 3. I have heard this idiom used many times before, but I've never understood why we say 'aunt' when in Britain it's much more common to say 'auntie'. Do you have any ideas about why we say it like this?
Have you heard of any of these before? Are there any other idioms from other English speaking countries that you like to use?
