Since I’ve been watching videos about machining, I keep hearing the phrase “Bob’s your uncle. Where does it come from?
Thanks
Since I’ve been watching videos about machining, I keep hearing the phrase “Bob’s your uncle. Where does it come from?
Thanks
It basically means "there ya go". British. When you say Fanny's your aunt afterwards you are saying it's done and complete.
(But there is likely an explanation from someone as to why Bob and Fanny rather than Edith and Margaret)
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I work with several Limey Canadian truckers that teach me far too many fun sayings!
May be that it's the circles we run with?
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It's used all the time for everything by Brits. Not just machining - it applies to anything you may be doing. My Aunt from England would say it sometimes. The hosts on the British car shows say it often. The English Lady in the cake baking show says it sometimes. It is generally used by men more often than women.
Just a saying for it's good, you're done with this, "A-OK", problem solved, no worries, good enough to carry on, you're golden, etc, etc, etc, etc.........................
"Do not follow where the path might lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail" Ralph Waldo Emerson
Yeah, my sister in OZ uses it all the time also. She may have picked it up in New Zealand, I'm not sure. She grew up around here where we talk pretty much like Texan Okies, and now she sounds like one to them limeys. jd
It seems that people who do almost nothing, often complain loudly when it's time to do it.
My father was in England during WW2. He told me the women over there called their little boys " my little cock". After hearing what the Americans use that term for they quit using it.
The other thing that was seen quite often," Kilroy was here", with a drawing of a bald man looking over a fence and his hands on the fence.
Last edited by John Taylor; 05-01-2024 at 06:47 PM.
Now things make sense. Growing up in the US, I never heard it, but now that I’m on the internet, I listen to English from all over the world. Thanks.
ok got to say it...................................... well bobs your uncle .............
if you are ever being chased by a taxidermist, don't play dead
About 27 years ago, my 2 year old nephew asked me what my name was.
I said “I’m Bob.”
He still calls me Uncle Bob after all this time.
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A very common phrase used here in NZ and OZ,
The Bird of Time has but a little way
To fly-and Lo! the bird is on the wing
I used that phrase not too long ago. On every public gunsmithing forum since forever, keyboard commandos and armchair experts who repeat things they've heard like a flock of parrots, but have no actual machining or engineering skills, will tell you that you can't just turn down the shank on a large ring Mauser barrel and then re-thread it to fit a small ring action. They'll say things like "the threads won't clean up", or "You'll have to chase the threads", or "you need a special 55 degree threading tool", or some other excuse why it couldn't possibly work. Well, I centered up a new K98 barrel in the lathe, completely turned the threads off the shank, then still needed to reduce the shank's diameter by almost .010" so that it would be the correct .980" diameter, then threaded it for a small ring action. And, Bob's your uncle, It screwed right on a model 98 Turkish M38 like a champ. It's like saying "Just like that!" to those who might be dubious.
Wink wink nod nod bob's yer uncle. Yep, just like that.
In long version, "it can be done if you know what your doing, if you do not, your headed for disaster"
I truly believe we need to get back to basics.
Get right with the Lord.
Get back to the land.
Get back to thinking like our forefathers thought.
May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you
and give you His peace. Let all of the earth – all of His creation – worship and praise His name! Make His
praise glorious!
Everyone should have an uncle Bob!
My uncle Bob is one unique character!!!!
Bob is my uncle!
I'm fascinated by the obscure origins of phrases. What I have been able to find upon studying the phrase in question is that once upon a time there was a person of authority whose name was Robert, and he was most generous toward his family, particularly his nephew. This practice became so prevalent and his nephew got so much undeserved help, that anything that happened easily to or for anyone, the response from bystanders was... "Bob's your uncle!" That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Froggie
PS For extra credit, confirm why "if the Good Lord's willing and the Creeks don't rise" has nothing to do with water or floods. Hint: See Muskogean Indians.
"It aint easy being green!"
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |