What is the origin of Happy as Larry?

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".

Is happy as Larry a saying?

The phrase “as happy as Larry” means a very happy person. The phrase is most suitable for the person who always remains happy, laughs a lot even when the things are not in their favor. Also, the phrase is used as a simile to compare a person's happiness.

What does Larry mean in Australia?

Orsman, the dictionary editor, supposed that Larry was a stand-in for one of two other words: larrie, a word of Clydesdale origin meaning a joke, or larrikin, a well-known Australian term for a cad.

What does Larry mean in British slang?

dialectal, England. : confusion, excitement, noise.

Where did the expression happy as a clam originate?

Origin of Happy as a Clam

The idea behind this expression is that clams are happiest when the ocean is at high tide. When the water it as high tide, the clams are protected from predation by birds. This idiom originated in the United States around the year 1830.

The Origin

Who coined the phrase happy as a clam?

The phrase originated in the north-eastern states of the USA in the early 19th century. The earliest citation that I can find is from a frontier memoir The Harpe's Head - A Legend of Kentucky, 1833: "It never occurred to him to be discontented... He was as happy as a clam."

What does happy as a sand boy mean?

Sandboy: As happy as a sandboy is an expression which implies blissful contentment. I believe that the saying is truly Bristolian in origin. On Bathurst basin, in the City centre is the long established Ostrich Inn. The Inn is immediately adjacent to the Redcliff caves which, in their day, were a prime source of sand.

Is Larry a derogatory term?

noun. derogatory term, "moron". Note: can apply to females even though the word is a male name. He is such a larry!

What is a lairy girl?

lairy (comparative lairier, superlative lairiest) (UK) Touchy, aggressive or confrontational, usually while drunk.

Where did the word lairy come from?

The term is a transferred use of British slang lairy (or leery) meaning 'knowing, conceited'. Our first evidence for the term comes from September 1898 when the Melbourne journal, Tocsin, described someone thus: Height, about 5' 6 1/2in.; style 'lairy'.

Why do Brits say happy as Larry?

Answer. Answer: It originates from a boxer called Larry Foley in the 1890s, before boxing was fully legalised. He won the biggest prize of about $150,000 dollars and a newspaper article in New Zealand had the headline “Happy As Larry” and the phrase stuck.

Where does the saying Bob's 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!

Where did the saying kick the bucket come from?

The term is known to date from at least the 16th century. The more interesting (and probably apochryphal) origin relates to suicides who would stand on a large bucket with noose around the neck and, at the moment of their choosing, would kick away the bucket.

What is the meaning of Bob's your uncle?

Definition of and Bob's your uncle

British, informal. —used to say that something is easy to do or use Just complete the form, pay the fee, and Bob's your uncle!

What's a Johnny on the spot?

Definition of Johnny-on-the-spot

: a person who is on hand and ready to perform a service or respond to an emergency.

Where does saying Gordon Bennett come from?

The expression is thought to derive from the controversial reputation of James Gordon Bennett Jr. (1841–1918), son of Scottish-born James Gordon Bennett Sr. founder and publisher of the New York Herald. Bennett was an accomplished polo player, tennis player and yachtsman.

What does dont get Larry mean?

(UK) Touchy, aggressive or confrontational, usually while drunk. quotations ▼ Don't get lairy with me!

What does it mean when something is hairy?

adjective. Someone or something that is hairy is covered with hairs. He was wearing shorts which showed his long, muscular, hairy legs. adjective. If you describe a situation as hairy, you mean that it is exciting, worrying, and somewhat frightening.

What is a wooly woofter?

MediaWorks said 'Woolly woofter' is a term typically used colloquially in New Zealand as a mild and light-hearted insult for a cowardly or simpering person.

What does calling someone a Mick mean?

[ mik ] SHOW IPA. / mɪk / PHONETIC RESPELLING. noun (often lowercase)Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. a contemptuous term for a person of Irish birth or descent.

What does paddy mean in Irish?

Paddynoun. An Irish person (sometimes offensive). Paddynoun. An Irish nickname for Patrick, originally from Pádrig (or Pádraig) the Irish language form of Patrick.

Do you ship Larry meaning?

What does Larry Stylinson mean? Larry Stylinson is the nickname given to the pairing of One Direction members Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles, who some fans believe have a secret relationship.

What is a Sanboy?

Definition of sandboy

1 : a peddler of sand at a seashore resort —used chiefly in the phrase happy as a sandboy. 2 : any of various hopping insects (as a sand flea) found on sandy beaches. 3a : one who sprinkles sand on bricks to prevent their sticking together in the kiln.

Who were Sandboys?

In fact, sandboy was the name of those who delivered sand to public houses, theatres and homes in the 18th and 19th centuries. Children were used in that trade, but most sandboys were adults. This use of 'boy' has frequently been used for low-status male workers, as in tea-boy, barrow-boy, house-boy etc.

What is happy as a lark?

(simile, colloquial) Very happy (sometimes with the extra connotations of being carefree or unaware of grimmer realities). She's happy as a lark with her ten dollar pay raise, even though the long-term prospects for the business are not good.