Talk:the jig is up

the jig is up
Any takers? (definitely not a noun) SemperBlotto 10:17, 16 May 2007 (UTC)


 * Wow, I'd totally have thought that fell under "clearly widespread use". Maybe it's an Americanism? Anyway, there are loads of b.g.c. hits.; it shouldn't be any problem to cite. *gets to it* —RuakhTALK 17:08, 16 May 2007 (UTC)


 * O.K., it's cited now. (b.g.c. actually has two earlier cites, one from 1753 and one from 1792 — both for "the jig was up" — but both are "snippet view", with the snippet not showing the actual phrase, so I decided the 1833 cite was early enough). I'm really quite surprised you'd never heard it before; it's amazing sometimes just how wide the pond can be. —RuakhTALK 17:39, 16 May 2007 (UTC)


 * Well done. I see it is listed in a couple "American Idioms" secondary references, so tagging it  shouldn't be a problem.  It is surprising, that an idiom that old could still be used only here.  --Connel MacKenzie 17:53, 16 May 2007 (UTC)


 * Make that "North American" idioms. It is also widely used and pretty much universally recognized in Canada. - WikiPedant 18:06, 16 May 2007 (UTC)

RFV passed. —RuakhTALK 07:24, 29 May 2007 (UTC)