"Bob's your uncle"

[Bob Haas]

It's a very British thing.  I've heard it, I believe, in a couple of Mike
Leigh films or such like.  The sense of it seems to gibe with your
explanation, Tom.

On 10/10/01 4:41 AM, thomas e murray wrote:

> A colleague has asked whether I've ever heard the phrase "Bob's your
> uncle" used as an interjection to mean something like 'there you have it'
> or 'just like that'.  I haven't, but I understand that a sample sentence
> might go, "Well, first you get some boards and some nails, then you cut
> the boards to length, sand them real well and fasten them together, drill
> a hole for the door, add a perch, and--Bob's your uncle--you've got a
> birdhouse."  Is anyone familiar with this, and, more pertinent for the
> colleague who raised the question, can anyone speculate on an etymology?
>
> Tom Murray
> Kansas State University

--

Bob Haas
Department of English
High Point University

    "I realise that patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or
bitterness towards anyone."  Edith Cavell (1865-1915)