James Baquet

    The expression, “Behind every great man there’s a great woman,” probably originated in the mid-20th century. Its meaning is plain: Women, though not always the ones who get honored for their own achievements, are often the ones who make a man’s achievements possible.

    Let’s see it in a dialogue.

    James sees his friend, a man named Don, at the supermarket.

    James: Hey, Don, how’s it going?

    Don: Great, James. Couldn’t be better!

    James: Really? Glad to hear it.

    Don: Yeah. I just got a huge promotion at work.

    James: Good for you! How’s Donna doing?

    Don: Great. She’s the power behind the throne.

    James: Well, they say behind every great man there’s a great woman.

    Don: Yup! And I’ve sure got one. She keeps things running on the home front so I can go out and face the dragon every day.

    James: You know, I heard someone say that behind every great man there’s a woman — nagging!

    Don: Not mine! She’s no back-seat driver. From the time we tied the knot, she’s lent a hand in everything I do.

    James: That’s great.

    Don: Yeah, before I met her, I lived in a place you couldn’t swing a cat in. I’ll make no bones about it: she changed my life for the better.

    James: Good to hear.

    Don: Listen, I could praise her ‘til the cows come home, but I gotta run. Our kid’s a little under the weather, and I’m picking up some medicine for him.

    James: Oh, an errand of mercy. Go, go!

    Don: Thanks, James. See ya!

    Notes on the dialogue:

    — Couldn’t be better: A fixed expression meaning things are wonderful.

    — Glad to hear it: Affirms that one is happy to hear the news.

    — The power behind the throne: An expression used to mean one person is the apparent ruler, while another holds the actual power.

    — On the home front: At home; especially calling forth images of the homeland during a war.

    — Face the dragon: An overly dramatic way to say “go to work.”

    — Nagging: James is joking that the “woman behind the man” is ensuring his success by constantly telling him what to do, and that he’s not good enough, and so on.

    — A back-seat driver: One who criticizes others who are actually doing something, like a person in the back seat of a car telling the driver what to do.

    — To tie the knot: To get married.

    — A place you couldn’t swing a cat in: A very small place.

    — To make no bones about it: To state something plainly.

    — ’Til the cows come home: A proverbial expression meaning “a long time.”

    — To be under the weather: To feel unwell.

    — An errand of mercy: A fixed expression meaning to do something kind for another person.