"Bobs Your Uncle"

Meaning:

A job well done or a successful action.

Origin:

The term Bobs your Uncle dates back to 1887 when Robert Cecil ( Lord Sailsbury) was elected as the British Prime Minister. After being elected Lord Sailsbury appointed Arthur Balfour to the prestegious post of Cheif Secutary of Ireland.

The British public knew Lord Sailsbury was better know by Arthur Balfour as "Uncle Bob". After Belfours appointment by what was blatantly nepotism, the term "Bobs your Uncle" became a sarcastic saying/comment which was applied to any situation determined by favouratism. As time went on and the tale got forgotten, "Bobs your Uncle" got used as a synonym for job done/no problem.

Below Left: Robert Cecil (Lord Sailsbury) Below Right: Arthur Balfour

"One for the Road"

Meaning:

Last drink before I leave.

Origin:

The origin of 'one for the road' comes from the middle ages and medieval period. The phrase started in London with the criminals who were condemned to hang, on the day of their hanging they were taken to Tyburn hill for execution. On the way they stopped at a local inn situated on the road and were allowed 'one' drink. The 'one' drink that the ciminals were drinking was for the road to death.

Below: Tyburn Inn Public Execution

"On The Wagon"

Meaning:

Driver of a vehicle is avoiding alchohol

Origin:

Back in the middle ages and medieval age, when the condemned were on their way to hang and stopped for their last drink (see 'One for the Road'), the driver of the prison wagon would say "I'm on the wagon". This had the same meaning then as today.

Below: A Prison Wagon

"That's Just Not Cricket"

Meaning:

When someone asks you to do something or something happens to you that you think is not fair.

Origin:

This originated within the game of cricket. In February 1st 1981, Australia played New Zealand in the World Series Cup. In the final over Trevor Chappell was bowling for Australia against New Zealands, who needed 6 runs off the last ball to tie the match when Chappell controversially bowled an underarm bowl making it impossible for the New Zealands batsman to hit a 6. This was dubbed "the most disgraceful moment in cricket" and the term "It's just not cricket" certainly applied here.

Below: Trevor Chappell's Underarm Bowl

"Talk the Hind Legs of a Donkey"

Meaning:

A person that talks a lot.

Use:

If a person was talking excessively, you could say "they could talk the hind legs of a donkey". Be careful saying this to somebody as it could be taken as an insult if you do not know the person very well. It is mostly said as a joke.

Below: Hind (back) legs of a donkey.

"Burning the Candle at Both Ends"

Meaning:

Working very hard, for long periods of time without any rest

Origin:

Originally used by the French, it goes back to the 17th century in England and originally meant "to waste material wealth or to use a candle wastefully". People who used to light their homes and offices by candle would be said to be "burning the candle and both ends" if they were wasting it. After time, the phrase was used in more of a modern term meaning "wasting ones strength" or "working very hard with no rest".

Below: A candle burning at both ends

A bit of "Cockney Rhyming Slang"

It was during the 1700's that the term Cockney or Cokeney was first founded. It was applied to people who lived in towns who were considered to be ignorant to the established customs and country ways. After time this term then became a synonym for a working class Londoner, and today after more time it has lost its degrading meaning and now just refers to being a Londoner to many. It is also said that to be a Cockney who must have been born at in London at the same time as the church bells sound.

Cockney rhyming slang is believed to become more prominent across London during the mid 1800's and was mostly used by the underworld. The underworld of London was all the thieves and criminals and they would use this language as a code against the police -"the Peelers". It was a way for criminals to talk about illegal activity without everyone else understanding. It was also suggested that this was the common tongue of street traders, wheeler dealers.

When people use Cockney rhyming slang they often just use the first word to imply the rhyme, for example in "apples and pears- meaning stairs" they would just say, "up the apples". Below are a few example:

Cockney Slang - Today's Meaning

"Apple and Pears" - Stairs
"Dog and Bone" - Phone
"Hank Marvin" - Starving
"Butcher's Hook" - Look
"China Plate" - Mate
"Whistle and Flute" - Suit
"Trouble and Strife" - Wife

Below: Apple and Pears (Stairs)

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"Chocks Away"

Meaning:

Lets get started we are moving

Origin:

Chocks away was originally used when an aeroplane is preparing take off and the pilot shouts 'chocks away' meaning, take the "chock" that is under the wheel that stops the plane from moving while parked, away, to allow the pilot to take off. The term is now used if someone is preparing to do something.

Below: A Chock

"Chomping at the Bit" or "Champing at the Bit"

Meaning:

Can't wait to get going or can't wait to start doing something.

Origin:

Chomping at the bit is also the same as champing at the bit. The word "chomp" is a word derived from the word "champ" which used to mean bite or chew. "Chomp at the bit" is an Americanisation of the phrase which stated to get used and become more common in the 20th century. Chomp is now by far the more common word to use when in reference to "bite". The phrase "chomping at the bit" originally came from horses, where the horses would be biting at the bit, the bit being the mouthpiece of the horses bridal. This then got turned into today's meaning where the horse was ready to race and it was "chomping at the bit".

This phrase can be used in any situation and not just horses, so if you are looking forward to something you could say "I'm chomping at the bit to get going"

Below: A horse biting at his bridal mouthpiece

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"Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining"

Meaning:

Something good always comes out of a bad situation.

Origin:

The term cloud with silver lining refers to a cloud with sunshine glowing behind it, suggesting that something good (the sun) will appear from the bad thing (the cloud).

John Milton first crafted the phrase 'silver lining' in Comus: A Mask Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634

I see ye visibly, and now believe
That he, the Supreme Good, to whom all things ill
Are but as slavish officers of vengeance,
Would send a glistering guardian, if need were
To keep my life and honour unassailed.
Was I deceived, or did a sable cloud
Turn forth her silver lining on the night?
I did not err; there does a sable cloud
Turn forth her silver lining on the night,
And casts a gleam over this tufted grove.

'Clouds' and 'silver linings' were often used in literature from then onward, these are also referred to as Milton's clouds. It isn't until the days of Victoria's England that we began to hear the phrase tat is commonly used today. This phrase can be used to comfort a person who is in a bad situation.

Below: A cloud with 'silver lining'

"Kill Two Birds With One Stone"

Meaning:

Achieve two objectives at the same time
Origin:

This phrase comes from a similar Latin expression 2000 years ago, it would be amazing if someone actually killed two birds at once by throwing a stone (what would be 2000 years ago). This phrase was then found in literature in the 16th century in both English and French. More recently this phrase or term was used by Thomas Hobbes in 1656 in a work on liberty.

Below: Two Birds