A Word In Your Shell-Like. Nigel Rees
and a situation has been created that cannot be redeemed. Possibly since the 19th century and deriving from the slate in a public house upon which a drinker’s credit or debit is displayed.
challenge See ARE YOU READY.
—challenged PHRASES. A suffix designed to convey a personal problem or disadvantage in a more positive light. Originating in the USA, the first such coinage would appear to have been ‘physically challenged’ in the sense of disabled: ‘This bestselling author [Richard Simmons] of The Never Say Diet Book creates a comprehensive fitness program for the physically challenged’ – Publishers Weekly (10 January 1986). Actual ‘—challenged’ coinages are now far outnumbered by jocular inventions, many aimed at discrediting the proponents of politically correct terminology. Among the many suggested in Britain and the USA are: ‘aesthetically challenged’ for ‘ugly’; ‘chronologically challenged’ for ‘old’; and, ‘follicularly challenged’ for ‘bald’.
champagne corks will be popping Journalistic cliché to denote celebration. ‘On Tuesday, when the industry reports on the amount of business it handled last year, the champagne corks will be popping in the City’ – The Observer (18 June 1995); ‘When Hong Kong’s last British financial secretary takes his leave of the colony next week the traditional popping of Champagne corks will be missing’ – The Independent (1 September 1995); ‘After a gap of almost 100 years, the champagne corks have been popping again in the Budapest underground railway’ – The Independent (2 October 1995).
champagne socialism The holding of socialist beliefs by people who are conspicuous consumers of the good things in life. The most obvious example of a champagne socialist is (Sir) John Mortimer, the prolific British playwright, novelist and lawyer (b. 1923), who may indeed have used it about himself. The earliest use of the term appears to have been in connection with ‘Robert Maxwell, Daily Mirror newspaper tycoon and possibly the best known Czech in Britain after Ivan Lendl, [who] has long been renowned for his champagne socialist beliefs’ – The Times (2 July 1987). However, a similar appellation was earlier applied to the Labour politician Aneurin Bevan. Randolph Churchill (who was, rather, a champagne Conservative) recalled how Brendan Bracken once attacked Bevan: ‘“You Bollinger Bolshevik, you ritzy Robespierre, you lounge-lizard Lenin,” he roared at Bevan one night, gesturing, as he went on, somewhat in the manner of a domesticated orang-utang. “Look at you, swilling Max [Beaverbrook]’s champagne and calling yourself a socialist”’ – Evening Standard (London) (8 August 1958).
champions See BREAKFAST OF.
(to) chance one’s arm Meaning, ‘to perform an action in the face of probable failure; to take one’s chance of doing something successfully’ – OED2 (which finds it first in an 1889 slang dictionary and in some unspecified tailoring context). In January 1997, the Bishop of Swindon’s newsletter carried this account of how the phrase may have come about: ‘In 1492 there was a bitter feud between two Dublin families, and the leader of one fled for his life and with his followers took refuge in the Cathedral chapter house. As the siege wore on, the leader of the other family began to realise the foolishness of their quarrel. He called to those behind the bolted door, to come and no harm would befall them. His enemies didn’t believe him, and stayed put. Getting no response he seized his spear, cut a hole in the door, and thrust his arm through – no sword, no clenched fist, just hand which the others could have cut off. It was grasped by another hand on the other side, the door was opened, the two leaders embraced, and the feud was brought to an end.’ This would appear to be one of those retrospectively imposed origins on a phrase that hardly requires such explaining. Other suggestions include, that it refers to risking a court-martial where all the stripes could be taken off a soldier’s sleeve, and something to do with boxing (that’s Eric Partridge’s guess).
chance would be a fine thing! Self-consolatory (or -deceiving) remark made when people are examining the prospect of enjoying an opportunity that is unlikely to come their way. Certainly in use by the 1900s and probably much older, especially in the sexual sense. Also used as a putdown: a woman might say disapprovingly of a man that she wouldn’t sleep with him even if he asked. Then another might respond, ‘Chance’d be a fine thing!’ – that is, ‘You can say that, given that you won’t ever get the opportunity.’ ‘How many of us have said something not particularly amusing, only to have it turned into a joke of sorts by someone else saying, “Chance would be a fine thing”’ – Miles Kington, The Independent (2 May 2000).
change and decay A phrase from the hymn ‘Abide With Me’ (circa 1847) by H. F. Lyte, the English clergyman and hymn writer (1793–1847): ‘Change and decay in all around I see; / O Thou, who changest not, abide with me.’ (The title phrase
abide with me was possibly inspired by Luke 24:29: ‘Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.’) Hence, Change and Decay In All Around I See, the title of a novel (1978) by Allan Massie.
Channel See CONTINENT ISOLATED.
(a) chapter of accidents A series of unforeseen happenings or misfortunes. The 4th Earl of Chesterfield used the phrase in a letter to his son in 1753. In 1837, John Wilkes was quoted by Southey as saying: ‘The chapter of accidents is the longest chapter in the book’. ‘A Chapter of Accidents’ is the heading of Pt 1, Chap. 9 of Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown’s Schooldays (1857). A Chapter of Accidents was the title of the autobiography (1972) of Goronwy Rees, the writer.
chariots of fire Chariots of Fire was the title given to a film (UK 1981) about the inner drives of two athletes (one a future missionary) in the 1924 Olympics. Appropriately for a film whose basic themes included Englishness, Christianity and Judaism, the title comes from William Blake’s poem, which is sung in Parry’s setting ‘Jerusalem’ at the climax of the film. Note the singular ‘chariot’ in the original: ‘Bring me my bow of burning gold, / Bring me my arrow of desire / Bring me my spear! Oh, clouds unfold / Bring me my chariot of fire.’ ‘Chariots of fire’ in the plural occurs in 2 Kings 6:17: ‘And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.’
(a) charisma bypass (operation) An expression at one time in general joke use, especially in show business and politics, to describe the reason why someone is unimpressive at self-projection. Originally rather a good joke. The earliest use found in the press is in The Washington Post (2 May 1986) concerning a Texas gubernatorial primary: ‘When Loeffler started the campaign, his name recognition was well under 10%…Part of the problem, according to one Republican consultant, is his rather plodding nature. “The guy is in desperate need of a charisma bypass,” said the consultant. “But if he gets into the runoff against Clements, he might get some charisma in a hurry”.’ ‘Politicians fall victim to a quick swipe with a well-turned phrase, such as the “charisma bypass”, which the unfortunate Premier of New South Wales is said to have undergone’ – The Daily Telegraph (14 February 1987); ‘When Betty Ford slipped quietly into hospital for a heart operation, the surgeon told her he had carried out Richard Nixon’s charisma bypass’ – Today (25 November 1987); ‘[Of Steve Davis, snooker player] “Oh yes, we say he had a charisma bypass when he was 17,” said Barry Hearn [manager] last week, without bothering to get involved in any defence of his protégé’ – The Sunday Times (11 December 1988).
charity begins at home The idea behind this proverb is expressed by Wyclif, circa 1383, but may also be traced back to Theocritus and Terence. The meaning was originally, ‘Set an example of charity in your home and spread it out from there’ – it does not end there – but nowadays it is sometimes used as an excuse for not giving to causes farther afield. From Sheridan, The School for Scandal, Act 5, Sc. 1 (1777): ‘Yet he has a string of charitable sentiments, I suppose, at his fingers’ ends.’ ‘Or, rather, at his tongue’s end…for I believe there is no sentiment he has such faith in as that “Charity begins at home”.’