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Why
'The dog's b0ll0cks' for something good
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It could be a variant on what was old military slang. If a unit was setting up a camouflaged site, the individual men there were instructed not to move from place to place within it in straight lines, as this would wear a pathway. This was said to make the site (quote) "stand out like a dog's b's", as far as a pilot's-eye view was concerned.
Maybe, therefore, the concept is that whatever is being referred to is "outstanding".
Maybe, therefore, the concept is that whatever is being referred to is "outstanding".
2 theories, one of them correct.
My favourite, not true, is that dogs are always licking their genitals, so they must taste good. As such, anything really good is the dogs etc.
The real reason is that it is a corruption of deluxe box set, this being better than your standard box set. I think it applied to Meccano originally.
My favourite, not true, is that dogs are always licking their genitals, so they must taste good. As such, anything really good is the dogs etc.
The real reason is that it is a corruption of deluxe box set, this being better than your standard box set. I think it applied to Meccano originally.
I love that explanation, Postdog, but what evidence is there for it? I ask because I can't quite see how de luxe box could become the phrase we're considering, apart from the presence of the d, l and x sounds it contains.
The website here offers some ideas but reaches no definite conclusion other than a possible connection with Viz.
The website here offers some ideas but reaches no definite conclusion other than a possible connection with Viz.
Just one site that says this.
As you can see, it is also the origin of bog (box) standard.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term =dogs+********
As I said, I have seen this on elsewhere too
As you can see, it is also the origin of bog (box) standard.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term =dogs+********
As I said, I have seen this on elsewhere too
If you click here, Postdog, you'll see that Michael Quinion - a noted etymologist and lexicographer - can find no reaon to believe 'bog standard' came from 'box standard', for example, because no evidence exists for the claim. He has no entry for 'the dog's b's', unfortunately, but I suspect he'd be equally chary about accepting 'deluxe box set' as its source.
If the urbandictionary website is the source for "the dog's b's", I'd be inclined to take the same attitude to it, given that entries there are just those submitted by members of the public and not word-experts...ie I'd say that's no evidence at all.
But what the hey! Thanks for responding to my request for evidence.
If the urbandictionary website is the source for "the dog's b's", I'd be inclined to take the same attitude to it, given that entries there are just those submitted by members of the public and not word-experts...ie I'd say that's no evidence at all.
But what the hey! Thanks for responding to my request for evidence.
Yes, Fred, the bee's knees or the eel's heels, the gnu's shoes, the cat's whiskers, the cat's pyjamas and the elephant's instep all mean the same as the dog's b's. Or I should perhaps say meant, given that all but one of these have disappeared from use.
All of these were coined in the USA in the 1920s, so it seems rather odd that the dog's b's appears to be the only recent creation as a way of expressing excellence. Why not the bat's echo, the monkey's tail or whatever else?
All of these were coined in the USA in the 1920s, so it seems rather odd that the dog's b's appears to be the only recent creation as a way of expressing excellence. Why not the bat's echo, the monkey's tail or whatever else?
Yeah, maybe, Jonesy, but...
The problem is that none of the other phrases listed in my earlier answer above - nor the multitude of additional ones - is a corruption of something else. If there were some evidence that �the bee's knees' was the very first of these phrases to appear, it might be possible that the others are merely variants. But there appears to be no such evidence.
The very earliest recorded uses of these in writing are very close in time and certainly after World War I. The bee's knees first emerged in writing in H C Witwer's Fighting Blood published at some point in 1923 and the first use of the cat's whiskers was in W A Roberts' Saucy Stories also published in 1923. Much too close to call a winner!
Both might have been around in speech beforehand, of course, but we will probably never know which was the original. As a result, the business > bee's knees connection is dubious at best.
The actress, Clara Bow, usually called "The It Girl", was sometimes nicknamed �The Bee' - a reference to the initial letter of her surname - and she had a beautiful pair of legs, which she took full advantage of in her starring roles. It is claimed by some that the phrase �the bee's knees' was an acknowledgement of her perfect limbs.
That is doubtful, too, as she appeared in her very first film in 1922 and her acting was so atrocious that all her scenes were cut! Presumably, Witwer's 1923 book mentioned above was already substantially written before Clara became famous, so that is another highly dubious source.
Really, we just don't know!
The problem is that none of the other phrases listed in my earlier answer above - nor the multitude of additional ones - is a corruption of something else. If there were some evidence that �the bee's knees' was the very first of these phrases to appear, it might be possible that the others are merely variants. But there appears to be no such evidence.
The very earliest recorded uses of these in writing are very close in time and certainly after World War I. The bee's knees first emerged in writing in H C Witwer's Fighting Blood published at some point in 1923 and the first use of the cat's whiskers was in W A Roberts' Saucy Stories also published in 1923. Much too close to call a winner!
Both might have been around in speech beforehand, of course, but we will probably never know which was the original. As a result, the business > bee's knees connection is dubious at best.
The actress, Clara Bow, usually called "The It Girl", was sometimes nicknamed �The Bee' - a reference to the initial letter of her surname - and she had a beautiful pair of legs, which she took full advantage of in her starring roles. It is claimed by some that the phrase �the bee's knees' was an acknowledgement of her perfect limbs.
That is doubtful, too, as she appeared in her very first film in 1922 and her acting was so atrocious that all her scenes were cut! Presumably, Witwer's 1923 book mentioned above was already substantially written before Clara became famous, so that is another highly dubious source.
Really, we just don't know!
For several more - equally unauthenticated - theories, click here.
Deluxe box was meccano. Better quality. So logical that it would turn to meaning the best. Easy for some wag to corrupt it into "its the dogs ********" meaning the best. Also we had 2 Canadian airmen stay with us, during the war. Everything they touched that the liked, the said That is the Business. Meant something slightly different, to them, I think. And I think Tommy sent 'em up, like all Tommies did, in those days. Thus The best was the bees knees. I submit my case as more likely.
Which war are you referring to, Jonesy? The fact is that the phrase has been around since the 1920s, so there isn't the slightest shred of evidence that it has anything whatsoever to do with North American soldiers speaking about 'the business' and that being corrupted by Tommies into 'the bee's knees'!
Re the other matter, the most telling point, surely, as I said earlier, is that Michael Quinion - a well-known and genuine language expert - effectively dismisses the deluxe box > dog's b's connection.
Sadly, therefore, I don't agree that your case stands up at all, never mind being the most likely. But we'll just have to agree to differ.
My advice to the questioner, however, is to stick with the expert...Quinion, not me, you understand! I'll leave it at that. Cheers
Re the other matter, the most telling point, surely, as I said earlier, is that Michael Quinion - a well-known and genuine language expert - effectively dismisses the deluxe box > dog's b's connection.
Sadly, therefore, I don't agree that your case stands up at all, never mind being the most likely. But we'll just have to agree to differ.
My advice to the questioner, however, is to stick with the expert...Quinion, not me, you understand! I'll leave it at that. Cheers
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