Meaning: To be accepted by the group without question, to have a sure thing.
Example: Don't worry about being accepted as a member at the country club. If you pay the membership fee you will be in like Flynn.
Origin: "In Like Flynn" comes from Errol Flynn's acquittal on statutory rape charges.
Wildly popular, Flynn was a phenomenally successful movie star/sex symbol of the 30's and 40's. His defining role was in "The Adventures of Robin Hood."
Other notable roles include: "Captain Blood", "They Died with Their Boots On", and "The Sun Also Rises."
Flynn was involved in a sensational trial, in which he was accused of having sex with two underage girls on a boat. When Flynn was found not guilty, the phrase "In like Flynn" became a part of the popular vocabulary. The phrase suggests that his acquittal was based on his popularity and celebrity.
The phrase "In Like Flynn" also came to refer to the legendary sexual prowess of Eroll Flynn. Flynn was known to be self indulgent and irreverent. He reportedly had the letters I.G.M.F.Y. on the side of his boat, which stood for "I got mine, F you". When Flynn died, at age 50, he was said to have the body of a 70 year old man.
Thus, if you were sure to get some action, you too were going to be "in like Flynn."
"In Like Flint" is the title of one of the James Bond parody movies starring James Coburn and is an obvious play on the original expression. The other movie in the series was called "Our man Flint". Derek Flint (played by Coburn) was also irresistible to the ladies
Meaning: To express disbelief or skepticism at an idea, or surprise when you find something unexpected to be true.
Example: If George Bush gets to remains in office, I'll be a monkey's uncle.
Origin: The publication of Darwin's theory of evolution in the "Decent of Man" was greeted with derision and a great deal of skepticism. The idea that man is related by a common ancestor to apes and monkeys was considered the most outrageous of the claims.
"I'll be a monkey's uncle" was originally a sarcastic remark by a non-believer of Darwin's theory and was intended to ridicule the theory of evolution.
Example: Putting kids through college is sure to put you in the red.
Origin: Standard practice for accounting is to record positive numbers in black ink and negative numbers in red ink. Operating "in the red" is to record negative numbers, that is to say losses.
No doubt red ink was chosen because it is a clear contrast for black and is not easily mistaken. However there is a bit more history to the red ink.
In medieval times the church, being the only center of literacy and learning in the west, maintained meticulous accounting records. Ink was rare and expensive. When monasteries and far-flung churches had little money and they could not afford ink, domesticated animals were bled to provide a substitute in the dipping wells. As a result, poor financial records were usually written "in the red."
Meaning: Having or pursuing multiple opportunities simultaneously.
Example: I have been out of work for 6 months, but I have a number of irons in the fire.
Origin: Blacksmiths traditionally worked iron into shape by hammering. The iron being worked would be heated in the fire until it was red-hot and malleable. The Smith removes the iron from the fire and shapes it with repeated blows from a hammer. They need to work quickly before the iron cools. Once the iron is cool, it becomes brittle and cannot be hammered.
Once removed from the fire, the iron cools quickly. It takes longer to heat the iron to red-hot than it takes for it to cool. Blacksmiths work more efficiently by having multiple pieces of iron in the fire heating simultaneously. In that way, the Smith can always have a piece of iron red-hot and ready for hammering. The cooled piece would be returned to the fire if it needed more hammering.
Alternatively, Refers to the number of irons (think pressed shirts here) a colonial woman kept hot in the fire at one time on washing day. Irons in those days were of course not powered by electricity, they were heated by...fire. Irons made from (what else?) iron took a long time to heat up in the fireplace so women would often have several to speed up their ironing chores.
Example: Id like to provide a good example, but I'm feeling in the doldrums.
Origin: Doldrums is the name of a place in the ocean that is located near the equator and is characterized by unstable trade winds. A sailing ship caught in the Doldrums can be stranded due to lack of wind.
