A: I don’t cook often. What kitchen appliance do you suggest I buy? B: A microwave of course. You just put the food in, set the time and press the start button, and Bob’s your uncle! Note: This is a phrase used to emphasize how easily or quickly something can be done. It’s primarily heard in the United Kingdom and Australia. “Bob” refers to Robert Gascoyne-Cecil (1830-1903), third Marquess of Salisbury, who served three times as British prime minister. The phrase is often said to derive from the supposed nepotism of Lord Salisbury, who appointed a favorite nephew, Arthur Balfour, to several political posts in the 1880s. Balfour went on to become prime minister after his uncle, but his early political appointments were considered inappropriate as he had shown no prior interest in public work. It is unlikely that Arthur Balfour would ever have become a celebrated politician without the patronage of his influential uncle. The fact that the word “nepotism” derives from “nephew” makes the link seem all the more neat. |