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Peter Harris
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| Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2004 2:07 am
Post subject: "Charlie's dead" |
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Does anyone here know the origin of the phrase "Charlie's dead",
meaning 'your petticoat is showing'? I've done a Google but found
nothing, other than "Queen Anne's dead" is used also.
Anyone?
Peter Harris
--
Never eat more than you can lift.
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Tony Mountifield
Guest
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Phil C.
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2004 5:52 pm
Post subject: Re: |
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| Quote: | Probably means the petticoat is flying at half mast.
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OTTOMH "Queen Anne" could also be alluding to the plant Queen Anne's
Lace - i.e. tactfully hinting that lace is on show.
http://website.lineone.net/~stolarczyk/queen.html#name
gives suggestions as to the origin of the plant name.
Partridge suggests that Charlie/Charley is old rhyming slang from
Charley Hunt - but that seems a long shot to explain a rather polite
expression.
--
Phil C.
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Molly Mockford
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 12:42 am
Post subject: Re: |
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| Quote: | Does anyone here know the origin of the phrase "Charlie's dead",
meaning 'your petticoat is showing'? I've done a Google but found
nothing, other than "Queen Anne's dead" is used also.
Anyone?
|
In my youth, we used to say "It's raining in Paris" in such
circumstances. I have no idea why. The French said "Tu cherche une
belle-mere" (you're looking for a mother-in-law) which makes much more
sense.
--
Molly Mockford
I think I've been too long on my own, but the little green goblin that
lives under the sink says I'm OK - and he's never wrong, so I must be!
(My Reply-To address *is* valid, though may not remain so for ever.) |
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Tony Mountifield
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 4:26 pm
Post subject: Re: |
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| Quote: | What does "your petticoat is showing" mean?
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Well, an attempt in Google proved amusing:
1. to Italian: il vostro isolatore a campana sta mostrando
2. back to English: your bell insulator is showing
Not sure in which direction the meaning was lost! 
A petticoat is a ladies' skirt-like undergarment worn inside a normal
skirt or dress. It is/was considered impolite if the lower edge of
the petticoat was lower than the outer skirt so that it could be seen.
"Charlie's dead" was a discreet, euphemistic way of informing the
unaware wearer, so that she could go and adjust it.
Cheers
Tony
--
Tony Mountifield
Work: tony@softins.co.uk - http://www.softins.co.uk
Play: tony@mountifield.org - http://tony.mountifield.org |
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Tony Mountifield
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 4:28 pm
Post subject: Re: |
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| Quote: | Well, an attempt in Google proved amusing:
1. to Italian: il vostro isolatore a campana sta mostrando
2. back to English: your bell insulator is showing
Not sure in which direction the meaning was lost!
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Actually, on closer inspection it was obviously from English to Italian!
Cheers
Tony
--
Tony Mountifield
Work: tony@softins.co.uk - http://www.softins.co.uk
Play: tony@mountifield.org - http://tony.mountifield.org |
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FB
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 7:26 pm
Post subject: Re: "Charlie's dead" |
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On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 21:07:55 +0100, Peter Harris wrote:
| Quote: | Does anyone here know the origin of the phrase "Charlie's dead",
meaning 'your petticoat is showing'? I've done a Google but found
nothing, other than "Queen Anne's dead" is used also.
Anyone?
|
<non-native speaker>
What does "your petticoat is showing" mean?
Bye, FB
--
Se dico "siedi!" manca l'oggetto.
Siedo chi? Lei o me?
(da it.cultura.linguistica.italiano) |
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Mike Barnes
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 8:37 pm
Post subject: Re: "Charlie's dead" |
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In uk.culture.language.english, FB wrote:
| Quote: | On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 21:07:55 +0100, Peter Harris wrote:
Does anyone here know the origin of the phrase "Charlie's dead",
meaning 'your petticoat is showing'? I've done a Google but found
nothing, other than "Queen Anne's dead" is used also.
Anyone?
non-native speaker
What does "your petticoat is showing" mean?
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http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/ManitobaCrafts/throughthedecades/images/crafts/dollfemale_dress.jpg
--
Mike Barnes |
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FB
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 3:46 am
Post subject: Re: "Charlie's dead" |
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On Tue, 24 Aug 2004 19:42:48 +0100, Molly Mockford wrote:
| Quote: | The French said "Tu cherche une belle-mere" (you're looking for a mother-in-law) which makes much more
sense.
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Does it?
Bye, FB
--
Locked from the inside. That can only mean one thing, and I don't know what
it is.
(Murder by Death) |
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Rotes Sapiens
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 7:51 am
Post subject: Re: "Charlie's dead" |
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On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 21:07:55 +0100, Peter Harris
<pharris@bootup.demon.co.uk> wrote:
| Quote: | Does anyone here know the origin of the phrase "Charlie's dead",
meaning 'your petticoat is showing'? I've done a Google but found
nothing, other than "Queen Anne's dead" is used also.
Anyone?
|
I'll take a long shot and suggest that it's a reference to Bonnie
Prince Charlie who used to wear lace? (For those who don't wear
petticoats, they are made of a lace like material.)
Sig:
I have a brain the size of a planet. It's not much good to me, however. It's on a different planet. |
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David
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 2:09 pm
Post subject: Re: "Charlie's dead" |
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In article <jvmvi0dsahl3h71enb79hhsned1bcisv54@4ax.com>,
Rotes Sapiens <rs@redplanet.mars.org.cy> wrote:
| Quote: | On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 21:07:55 +0100, Peter Harris
pharris@bootup.demon.co.uk> wrote:
Does anyone here know the origin of the phrase "Charlie's dead",
meaning 'your petticoat is showing'? I've done a Google but found
nothing, other than "Queen Anne's dead" is used also.
Anyone?
I'll take a long shot and suggest that it's a reference to Bonnie
Prince Charlie who used to wear lace? (For those who don't wear
petticoats, they are made of a lace like material.)
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They're also made of a lace like material for those who do wear them,
possibly more so.
| Quote: | Sig:
I have a brain the size of a planet. It's not much good to me,
however. It's on a different planet.
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Obviously. :-)
--
http://www.dacha.freeuk.com/aureole/30-0.htm
here endeth the lessen of the iron icon to genesis |
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Brian {Hamilton Kelly}
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 4:27 pm
Post subject: Re: "Charlie's dead" |
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On Monday, in article
<g6dki0pqgfoqihbm4poe746av120fc2qhk@4ax.com>
pharris@bootup.demon.co.uk "Peter Harris" wrote:
| Quote: | Does anyone here know the origin of the phrase "Charlie's dead",
meaning 'your petticoat is showing'? I've done a Google but found
nothing, other than "Queen Anne's dead" is used also.
|
"Queen Anne is dead" has nothing to do with "your slip is showing".
Rather it's what is said to the bearer of stale news.
--
Brian {Hamilton Kelly} bhk@dsl.co.uk
"I don't use Linux. I prefer to use an OS supported by a large multi-
national vendor, with a good office suite, excellent network/internet
software and decent hardware support." |
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