What does the saying 'Bob's your uncle' mean?

Answer 1

The expression "Bob's your uncle" is a British idiom or slang, usually said after some simple instructions. It means "There you have it" or "There you go."

For example, to tell someone how to open a ring-pull can, you might say, "Pull the ring up away from the can until the pouring hole appears, and Bob's your uncle."

It's origin is unclear, but one theory is that it derives from the British Prime Minister, Arthur Balfour, who before he was Prime Minister had been appointed as Minister for Ireland by his uncle, Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, Marquess of Salisbury.

From this arose the idea that having "Bob" as your uncle ensured success, just as following the simple instructions did.

Bob's your uncleBob's your uncle (sometimes elaborately Robert's your father's brother) is a commonly used expression mainly in Britain, Ireland and Commonwealth nations. Typically, someone says it to conclude a set of simple instructions to mean, "and there you have it," or "you're all set." For example, "To make a ham sandwich, just put a piece of ham between two slices of buttered bread, and Bob's your uncle." EtymologyOne theory regarding the origin of the phrase is that it refers to Lord Frederick Roberts (1832-1914. 1st EarlRoberts, Roberts of Kandahar). Roberts was an Anglo-Irish soldier, born in India, who fought and commanded in India, Abyssinia, Afghanistan and South Africa. Roberts was one of the most successful commanders of theVictorian era and was cited for numerous acts of gallantry. His finest hour was perhaps the lifting of the siege of Kandahar in 1878 in which he marched a force of 10,000 men over three hundred miles from Kabul, winning a battle and successfully lifting the siege. Well respected amongst his men, Roberts was affectionately referred to as 'Uncle Bobs'. Generally meaning 'all will be well', and often used to indicate a successful outcome, the phrase "Bob's your uncle" was a term originally used by Roberts' men to boost confidence among the ranks and imply that all would be well under his command.

Another explanation is that phrase dates to 1887, when British Prime Minister Robert Cecil, Lord Salisbury decided to appoint Arthur Balfour to the prestigious and sensitive post of Chief Secretary for Ireland. Lord Salisbury was Arthur Balfour's uncle. The difficulty with that explanation is that-despite extensive searching-the earliest known published uses of the phrase are from 1932, two from 1937, and two from 1938.

A more probable theory is that it derives from the slang phrase "All is bob," meaning that everything is safe, pleasant, or satisfactory. This dates back to the eighteenth century or so (it's in Captain Francis Grose's Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue of 1785). There have been several other slang expressions containing bob, some associated with thievery or gambling, and from the eighteenth century on it was also a common generic name for someone one didn't know. Any or all of these might have contributed to its genesis.

In London and York, it can be heard of someone stating "Bob's yer Uncle", then upon hearing this a woman nearby may respond "and Fanny's yer Aunt!"

UsageIn some places in Britain, "Bob's your uncle" is also a way of saying "that's great!" or "you've got it made!" and is used as an expression of jubilation at good fortune. It is used thus in the Alastair Sim film Scrooge, a version of the classic Dickens story A Christmas Carol, where a reformed Ebenezer Scrooge confronts his housekeeper, Mrs Dilber, on Christmas morning. He gives her a guinea (£1.05 in that era, and equivalent to about $100 today) as a Christmas present, and announces he will significantly raise her salary. In a burst of excitement the housekeeper responds, "Bob's yer uncle! Merry Christmas, Mr Scrooge, in keeping with the situation!".

However, this may be an anachronism, as A Christmas Carolwas first published by Dickens in 1843 and as outlined above the expression (in the later film) was not in use at that time.

In certain regions of Canada, the expression is frequently shortened to simply "Bob". For example, "To make a ham sandwich, just put a piece of ham between two slices of buttered bread. Bob." Also used in the eastern area of Holland, called Twente.