"Big Girl's Blouse" Expression

[c.d.]

You Brits have some great expressions and this is one of them. I also really like "how's your father?" But I am not quite clear on the former. Apparently it means a weak and/or effeminate man. But what does the "big" refer to? Does it mean a big girl, i.e., fat or large girl or does the big mean that the man is very much weak and effeminate?

Can't wait to use this on somebody.

c.d.

[Robert]

Hi CD

My impression is that it's mainly jocular, and used when a man seems to be making a fuss over nothing.

I think it's the blouse that's big, not the girl.

[c.d.]

Thank you, Robert. That is what I was thinking. So basically you are saying that someone is acting very effeminate?

c.d.

[Ginger]

You Brits have some great expressions and this is one of them.

Oh, yes! My late boyfriend Christopher (from Blackburn) used to just astonish me with some of the stuff he'd say. "A right pillock" and "an utter numpty" are the two that really stuck with me.

[Robert]

Hi CD

Not effeminate in the sense of coming over as gay or camp, but a bit timid, or a worrier, or something like that. And I think it's said mainly to a fairly big guy rather than a small guy. I think it's mainly a northern England expression.

[Sam Flynn]

The colloquial Welsh equivalent of "big girl's blouse" is pais, i.e. "petticoat"... we evidently set our sights a little lower.

[Abby Normal]

Oh, yes! My late boyfriend Christopher (from Blackburn) used to just astonish me with some of the stuff he'd say. "A right pillock" and "an utter numpty" are the two that really stuck with me.

My favorite, and I don't know if it's a common saying, but I was called a vile wanker on here once. LOL! Vile wanker! What a great insult and only the brits could come up with that classic. Vile wanker!! HAHA love it.

[Wickerman]

My favorite, and I don't know if it's a common saying, but I was called a vile wanker on here once. LOL! Vile wanker! What a great insult and only the brits could come up with that classic. Vile wanker!! HAHA love it.

I can't think why anyone would call you Vile, Abby.

[Wickerman]

You Brits have some great expressions and this is one of them. I also really like "how's your father?" But I am not quite clear on the former. Apparently it means a weak and/or effeminate man. But what does the "big" refer to? Does it mean a big girl, i.e., fat or large girl or does the big mean that the man is very much weak and effeminate?

Can't wait to use this on somebody.

c.d.

As Robert said, it is a comment about someone making a fuss over nothing. The "Big" is added for emphasis meaning "Big" fuss over nothing.
It has nothing to do with the size of the blouse, or the girl within.

[GUT]

You Brits have some great expressions and this is one of them. I also really like "how's your father?" But I am not quite clear on the former. Apparently it means a weak and/or effeminate man. But what does the "big" refer to? Does it mean a big girl, i.e., fat or large girl or does the big mean that the man is very much weak and effeminate?

Can't wait to use this on somebody.

c.d.

Actually I think you may find "Girls blouse" was a bit of a sissy (or effeminate) and big girls blouse was a big sissy.

[Sam Flynn]

My favorite, and I don't know if it's a common saying, but I was called a vile wanker on here once.

The "w" word is rather popular in my neck of the woods. Here's a pleasant little ditty which uses it extensively:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4OITfVktqg

The song is, as they say, "not safe for work", and not for children either.

[Pcdunn]

"Tosser" was used frequently on a Britsh forum I once belonged to, and that was a puzzler, though I usually could figure it out from context. I think it means the same as "jerk" does over here.

[Sam Flynn]

The "w" word is rather popular in my neck of the woods. Here's a pleasant little ditty which uses it extensively

Even better, no "w" word but hugely funny:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYks29_oxUA

[GUT]

"Tosser" was used frequently on a Britsh forum I once belonged to, and that was a puzzler, though I usually could figure it out from context. I think it means the same as "jerk" does over here.

More or less.

Tosser and Wanker are both euphemisms for masturbation. jerk was too.

[yen_powell]

I was once called a 'soft southern Jessie' by a northerner when I complained about cutting my face open on brambles whilst trail riding in Yorkshire, which to me is on a par with 'big girl's blouse'. I was riding with my head tilted sideways to stop the blood running into my goggles and had to stop for a quick wipe.