Why do the British say bob your uncle?

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!

What does Bob's your uncle mean in British?

idiom. 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!

Why do we say Bob's your uncle and 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.

What does Bob mean in British slang?

Bob, a slang term in Great Britain for the pre-decimal coin, the shilling.

What's the saying Fanny's your aunt?

The long version Bob's your uncle and Fanny's your aunt meaning "and there you are" or "it's that easy!" or "(after that) it's done!" or "(after that,) you have achieved what you wanted to achieve". One variant is Bob's your uncle and Fanny's your granny.

Common but strange British English Expressions: BOB'S YOUR UNCLE

Why is a British pound called a bob?

Bob – The subject of great debate, as the origins of this nickname are unclear although we do know that usage of bob for shilling dates back to the late 1700s. Brewer's 1870 Dictionary of Phrase and Fable states that 'bob' could be derived from 'Bawbee', which was 16-19th century slang for a half-penny.

How do you say bro in England?

bruv. In the US, we have friend terms like bro and bruh. In the UK, they have bruv. Bruv is short for brother, as in “fellow; buddy.” It's a familiar term typically used between male friends, close relations, or even actual brothers.

Where did the term 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!

What is Bob slang for in Ireland?

Bob: slang for money. See also quid and sterling. Bonnet: car hood. Boot: car trunk. Bord Fáilte (pronounced bord fal-cha): The Irish Tourist Board (Gaelic, "Board of Welcome")

What does if your aunt had balls she'd be your uncle mean?

Proverb. if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle. (colloquial, vulgar, humorous) It is fruitless to speculate about counterfactual situations.

Why do we say my giddy aunt?

[Oh,] my giddy aunt! is used as a playful euphemism to avoid blasphemy and is thought to have derived from (if not quoted from) the farcical comedy Charley's Aunt by Brandon Thomas that ran for 1,466 performances on its first production starting December 1892.

What does the phrase how's your father mean?

(slang, Britain, euphemistic) Sexual intercourse. quotations ▼synonym ▲ Synonyms: see Thesaurus:sexual intercourse.

What does the saying 10 to the dozen mean?

If you are talking nineteen/ten to the dozen, you are talking very quickly and without stopping. Talking too much.

What does two bob mean in British?

two bob (uncountable) (UK, Australia, obsolete) Two shillings; a florin. (Australia, slang) A 20-cent coin. (idiomatic, UK, Australia, often attributive) A trivially small value.

Who is your aunt if Bob's your uncle?

What does the British expression "Fanny's your aunt" mean? It's simply Part Two of the phrase “Bob's your uncle”, which means something like “there you have it” or “you're all set”.

What does Bob mean in Scotland?

Scotland : any of several folk dances. obsolete : a blow or tap especially with the fist. 3. : a modification of the order in change ringing. : a method of change ringing using a bob.

Where did the saying cut the mustard come from?

WHEN MUSTARD was one of the main crops in East Anglia, it was cut by hand with scythes, in the same way as corn. The crop could grow up to six feet high and this was very arduous work, requiring extremely sharp tools. When blunt they "would not cut the mustard".

What do British guys call their friends?

Mate (noun) So, 'mate' is British slang for a friend.

How do you say hello in British slang?

'Hiya' or 'Hey up' – these informal greetings both mean 'hello' and are especially popular in the north of England.

Why do Brits say quid instead of pound?

Key Takeaways

"Quid" is a slang expression for the British pound sterling, or the British pound (GBP), the currency of the United Kingdom (U.K.). A quid equals 100 pence and is believed to come from the Latin phrase “quid pro quo,” meaning "something for something."

What is a quid vs a pound?

💷 Quick summary. A pound is a denomination of UK currency roughly equivalent to the US dollar. Quid is British slang for pound. It's used in much the same way as buck is used as a slang term for dollar—except that quid is also used for the plural, as in a few quid.

What is British slang for money?