The Bee’s Knees

– “My new phone is the bee’s knees. I can do so much with it!”
– “If we want the best, we need to hire Angela. She’s the bee’s knees when it comes to designing wedding dresses.”

The bee’s knees, which translates literally as les genoux de l’abeille, is one of a number of expressions, like ‘the cat’s whisker’s’ or ‘the tops,’ which imply excellence. It means that something, or someone is exceedingly good, greatly admired or ‘the best’. Like many idioms, its etymology is debated. Some sources suggest it is a corruption of ‘the business’ (the beezneez), another term with a similar meaning; others say it is a reflection of the special design of bee’s legs, with have small bags to collect pollen. Some believe it always was just a nonsense expression, based on a pleasing rhyme.

The idiom emerged in the ‘roaring twenties’, when picturesque terms became very popular; the kipper’s knickers is another such expression, sadly no longer used. Today, the bee’s knees sounds slightly dated and although it is still employed, it is often in an ironic sense.

–“That guy is always talking about how wonderful he is. He thinks he’s the bee’s knees.”
– “When I was sixteen, I had this purple velvet jacket and when I wore it, I thought I was the bee’s knees.”

To be or not to be a spring chicken (un poulet de printemps)

 To suggest someone is like a spring chicken is to imply that they are youthful, energetic, and healthy. The expression is most often used in the negative form. To say ‘he/she is no spring chicken anymore’ is an indirect and slightly humourous way to imply that they are no longer young.  It can be used to refer to both the negative and positive aspects of advancing years.

 – “Look, I’m no spring chicken anymore; you’ll need to walk slower.” 
– “It is a difficult situation, but I am no spring chicken. I can handle it.“

Although heard less often in the positive form, the phrase can suggest that someone is rejuvenated. To say “Grandad comes home from his ballroom classes like a spring chicken”  implies dancing has lifted his spirits and his energies to the extent that he seems younger. 

The origins of the expression are believed to be culinary and literal, coming from the association of younger birds with tender meat and of spring with rebirth and youth.

– “We’re having an inspection on Friday, so we need to make sure we have all our ducks in a row.”
– “I was impressed with her proposal. She had all her ducks in a row.”

To have or to get your ducks in a row (literally “avoir/mettre ses canards en rang”) is an expression meaning to have a plan, or a working practice that is well organised and thought through, down to the little details.

There are many hypotheses about the origins of this expression. The one that seems most likely to us, is as a reference to the mother ducks we observe at springtime, swimming with a neat line of ducklings paddling along behind them. After all, when all the ducklings are in the row, all is right with the world!

We will be back soon with another expression – that is, if we manage to get all our ducks in a row!

To get someone’s goat

– “She leaves her stuff all over the house and it gets my goat.”
– “What gets my goat, is that my brother never brings anything to the family barbecue, but always wants to take home all of the leftovers.

The expression “to get someone’s goat” (literally : prendre la chèvre de qqun) is an expression that denotes accumulating irritation or anger, usually in the context of something that happens habitually.

 It is interesting to note that the French phrase, “rendre chèvre/faire devenir chèvre” which has a similar meaning, seems to have emerged from an earlier form of the phrase “prendre la chèvre” meaning to get angry.     

A number of possible explanations of the etymology of the expression have been suggested, although there is little solid basis for any of the theories. One colourful explanation refers to a Roman act of torture of allowing goats to lick a prisoner’s feet that had been dipped in salty water. While that would certainly get our goat, there does not seem to be any evidence that this was the origin of the phrase.   

Similar expressions are to say something or someone “gets on my nerves“, “drives me up the wall” or denoting extreme anger “makes my blood boil“.

A related phrase in Indian English is “to eat someone’s brain“.  This refers to being irritated, most often in the context of someone constantly talking, or interrupting you.

For more about the history of English in India, we have a bonus article by Jean-Baptiste Roca here.

To spend a penny

– “Pete’s just spending a penny. He’ll be back soon.”
– “If you need to spend a penny, go now as there are no facilities at the lake.’

Spending a penny (literally : dépenser un sou) is a very British euphemism for going to the lavatory. The first coin-operated public toilets were introduced in Britain in the 1850s. They were accessed by putting an old penny in the lock on the door. The phrase “to spend a penny” emerged somewhat later. 

Another such expression is “to go and powder my nose“, which dates from the days when women’s facilities were often called “powder rooms”. The usage of such euphemisms has decreased as society has become less squeamish about referring to “going to the loo“. American’s will still most commonly use slightly coy expressions such as going to “the washroom” , “the bathroom”, or “the little boy’s/girl’s room”.

The origins of the phrase ‘the loo’ itself are much debated. The explanation we like the best is that it came from the French expression ‘garde à l’eau!’, which became corrupted into the word gardyloo (first recorded use in 1622). 
Gardyloo was used in Scotland, as a warning to anyone passing by, when when the contents of a chamber-pot were emptied from a window into the streets below.