So there you have it (at least to the best of my knowledge)". Learn something new everyday.
I was making a purchase today in which I was paying with cash. I thought I had the exact change when I realized I had grabbed a nickle instead of a dime. I said 'close but no cigar' and the cashier laughed and said, "I wonder what that means. I say it but have no idea and it makes no sense." So for those of you who might wonder about the origins of this saying and even if you don't here goes: " It is a widely used saying to signal a near miss. To fall just short of a successful outcome and get nothing for your efforts. This phrase and its varient 'nice try but no cigar' are of US origin and date from the mid-20th century. Carnival/fairground stalls gave out cigars as prizes and this is the most likely source although there is no definitive evidence to prove it. It first appeared in print 1935 in the script of the film version Annie Oakley "Close Colonel but no cigar".
So there you have it (at least to the best of my knowledge)". Learn something new everyday.
1 Comment
Jacqueline Luczywo
2/3/2011 02:34:40 am
2/4/11 giggles.grins. just told my grandkids last night 'close but no cigar'--and, here you are giving me the skiffy on its origin--which I made up myself last night saying it was like the brass ring on a merry-go-round---which, of course, started a whole new 'WHAT?' gotta love life and words! Jacqueline
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AuthorHello, I'm Kim Hitzges. I am a writer, photographer, and mixed media artist who is following the magic that guides my life. Archives
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