"Close, but no cigar."

[victor steinbok]

It may not be close, but it's no cigar. I have no complaints about Jon's
interpretation. As I wrote earlier, the explanation may be completely
innocuous.

VS-)

On Thu, Apr 7, 2011 at 12:26 PM, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>wrote:

>
> But no cigar is not always "no cigar."
>
> Victor's ex. sees to imply that when a man takes another man's arm
> (they used to do this in the nineteenth century out of simple
> friendliness),
> he is likely also to offer him a cigar.
>
> I see no implication here of a near miss, still less of the words "close,
> but...."  The notion seems not to apply. 1930 is the date to beat.
>
> JL

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