Haven't seen you in a ****'* age?

[singingfish]

Is it racist? I always assumed it was an inappropriate thing to say, and when my dad said it the other day, I told him he couldn't say it and he got out of it by insisting it was an abbreviation of racoon!!!! I nearly died laughing! Please tell me my dad is wrong, and enlighten me to the origin of the saying. Is it a reference to black peoples longevity? While you're at it, if anyone knows where 'by all means' comes from you get extra points!!! Ta muchly xxx

[andy hughes]

I've always understood it to be an abbreviation of racoon as well. I believe it comes from the notion that because you can't tell one raccoon from another, you can convince yourself that you are in fact seeing the same one all the time, which would make it really old, hence the saying. I don't believe it has anything to do with black people, since the expression you are querying is American, and that particular epithet is European.

[Quizmonster]

Click http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/5/messages/626.html

for a web-page with information on this saying and lots of other facts about the development of the meanings of the basic word itself.

What the heck are you doing here today, Andy? It's your birthday, mate, so get your butt down the pub and have a few! Have a happy rest-of day! Cheers

[Quizmonster]

The earliest recorded use of the phrase 'by all means' dates back to the 15th century. Then, however, it meant 'using whatever methods etc may be necessary'.
In the modern sense of 'certainly' - as in: "You can come to the party by all means" - that usage first appeared in the 17th century. It's been about for quite a while, in other words. Do I get the extra points?

[andy hughes]

Hi QM - I'm at work (sad or what!) and I am going for a family meal this evening, but I'm teetotal, so no alcohol for me! Thanks for your good wishes. a.h.

[New Forester]

The expression may be European (though I've never heard it myself), but racoons are not, they're American too.

 

(Oh look, AB seems to have stopped editing "raccoon" out...)

[Numbers]

If I've heard that expression at all, it's usually "...dog's age".