# I'll go to the foot of our stairs!



## James Brandon

The expression "I'll go to the foot of our stairs" is used to express surprise. It is a form of exclamation. Similar ones would be "Stone the crows!" (a bit old-fashioned, no doubt) or "Christopher Columbus!" (ditto), or the more common "Jesus Christ!" 

There is no problem with the meaning, by which I mean the way it is used. 

I have found that it is mostly Northern English, and more particularly related to Yorkshire. Apparently, it is still in use. It is frequently featured in sitcoms etc when there is a typical Yorkshire character, in order to add a bit of local 'colour'. 

No one seems to know where the expression comes from. Why: "Go to the foot of (the stairs)"? Why would it come into it at all, when expressing surprise? Or is this one of those deliberately absurd phrases used in a tongue-in-cheek way? "Our" seems to imply the person is talking about his or her family-home. 

Suggestions welcome.


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## ewie

I love this expression. But I've only ever ~ to the best of my recollection ~ heard it as a 'stereotypical' Northern thing, i.e. I've never heard anyone (including me) use it *unselfconsciously*. Of course, this isn't to say that in the past it was used otherwise.
As to why it should be _the foot of our stairs_ and not _the top of our stairs_ (or even _our backyard gate_, or somewhere else), I'd think we can only guess, James.

EDIT: Incidentally, mention of _backyard gate_ has reminded me of another expression in exactly the same vein, used for when a person is famished: _I could eat a scabby donkey between two backyard gates._


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## Loob

Well, here's one suggestion, James: the idea that it was a deliberately comical variant of "I'll go to hell".

I can't tell if the suggestion's plausible or not, not being a user of the expression


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## ewie

Ah! interesting, Loobies.  That would (perhaps) explain the 'stagey' feel of it.


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## James Brandon

Ok, very interesting. It would be a way of not using "go to hell", along the lines of "gorblimey" in Cockney English being a disguised form of "God Almighty!" as far as I understand. 

Why choose "the foot of our stairs", though? Maybe because the idea is, if you start going up the stairs, eventually, you will rise and rise, and arrive in heaven (or hell, as the case may be). In other words, this would explain why "foot" it is, as opposed to "top". 

I get the feeling this is one of those expressions that are never used unselfconsciously, i.e. that are always used in ironic manner, particularly nowadays. This would explain why it is used in soap operas with Yorkshire characters etc - scriptwriters love a good cliché, particularly if they do not come from the region in question... 

All the references I have seen do mention N England, Ewie. And thanks for the other - very funny - idioms: I shall try and use the donkey one at the nearest opportunity!


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## PaulQ

From Phrasefinder.org


> Posted by ESC on December 26, 2004
> 
> From one of my newly acquired books:
> (well) I'LL GO TO THE FOOT OF OUR STAIRS! - "An old north England expression of surprise or amazement - meaning presumably, that the short walk to the place mentioned would allow the speaker to recover equanimity. Or perhaps it meant it was time to give up and go to bed! Used by Tommy Handley in BBC Radio's ITMA (1940s) and elsewhere. Said to have been used by the entertainer George Formby as 'Eeh, I'll go to the foot of our stairs', as also, 'Eeh, I'll go to our 'ouse (pronounced 'our rouse')' - Robina Hinton, Suffolk . Chris Littlefair gave this variation from the North-East : 'I'll go to the bottom of our garden.'" From "Oops, Pardon Mrs Arden! An Embarrassment of Domestic Catchphrases" by Nigel Rees (Robson Books, London, 2001) Page 99-100.
> 
> Submitted by viewers/listeners to Mr. Rees on British TV and radio. The dates are when the informants submitted the information to him.


Go to the foot of the stairs - phrase meaning and origin

And


> Yes, my mother (90 years and going strong) has used this expression for as long as I can remember. I understand it to be a Birmingham saying though, although that may not conflict with Rees giving it a northern origin. For some reason London folk think the English Midlands are in the North.


Go to the foot of the stairs - phrase meaning and origin


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## sound shift

I distinctly remember an occasion when a chap from Oldham (northern England) said "Well, I'll go to our 'ouse" (as per Paul's quote, above) in my presence. I don't know if there was any self-consciousness involved.

Funnily enough, one of our forum colleagues today used "Well, I'll go to the foot of our stairs" in another thread. I know that he learned the expression from a northerner. I of course don't know if that northerner used it self-consciously.

All a bit different from the "Well I'm blowed!" used by my father, who's from so far dahn sahth that it's almost in the sea.


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## Barque

My first reaction after reading the OP was that it meant: _I'm so surprised that I might fall down the stairs _(if the speaker was standing at the top). Something like _You could have knocked me down with a feather. _But it seems from Paul's post 6 that there's a different explanation.


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## e2efour

Perhaps heypresto has a view on this, given that he used it in #6 of this thread (0 in table tennis).

(I have never heard it before.)


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## somebloodyyank

Loob said:


> Well, here's one suggestion, James: the idea that it was a deliberately comical variant of "I'll go to hell".
> 
> I can't tell if the suggestion's plausible or not, not being a user of the expression



I only joined this thing to share the following-  In the song A Passion Play by Jethro Tull there is a section called "The Foot Of Our Stairs" and it takes place just before the hero of the story, being bored in Heaven, decides he might try Hell instead.  I've wondered what the phrase meant since first hearing the song in 1973.  Read other places where it's cited as a term of surprise, but this is the first reference to Hell...  wait- could it be a deliberately comical variant of "Well I'll be damned"?

THAT would tie my search for the meaning of the phrase together nicely.


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## PaulQ

somebloodyyank said:


> could it be a deliberately comical variant of "Well I'll be damned"?


It does have that general meaning to it: one of outraged astonishment and/or incredulity. But, given the general understanding of it, I doubt that it has anything to do with Hell.

"Except You're a Bird" by Peter Tinniswood - 1974 -- Page 67
Except You're a Bird



> [At the] very moment he slammed the glass onto the table, Uncle Mort walked into the bar with Olive Furnival. He smiled at Mr Brandon and said: "This is Olive Furnival, Les. I don't know if you've been introduced, but it doesn't matter either road, cos we're going to sit on our own to discuss some personal matters personally in person." Olive Furnival smiled at Mr Brandon. It was a warm smile. Uncle Mort led her away. "Well, I'll be buggered," said Carter Brandon. "I'll go to the foot of our stairs."
> "So will I," said Mr Brandon."


It was well-known to the readers of New Society in 1978


> New Society - Volume 45 - Page 710
> New Society
> 1978 - ‎Snippet view - ‎More editions
> 
> ... Stanford University, California Local sayings Sir: In wordmap 2 (24 August), regional words with the same meaning had been collated. From friends and family in the north of England. I have been collecting local sayings. Although not now in everyday use, comments such as " 'E thinks every 'air on 'is y'ead's a fresh 'erring," or "She's as far between as a-fo'-penny rabbit," can be translated as "he's rather conceited while she's unintelligent." "Well, I'll go to the foot of our stairs," muttered in one county, and "I'll go t' the front of our house" in another" If New Society readers know of other sayings, I would be pleased to hear them. What I want to know is, is this part of our cultural heritage dying out, or is it in the oven behind the meat?"​


However, it is older than that  - there's another site that suggests that it from the 30s. Go to the foot of the stairs - phrase meaning and origin I remember it as a child in the 50s, : Go to the foot of the stairs - phrase meaning and origin:


> (well) I'LL GO TO THE FOOT OF OUR STAIRS! - "An old north England expression of surprise or amazement - meaning presumably, that the short walk to the place mentioned would allow the speaker to recover equanimity. Or perhaps it meant it was time to give up and go to bed! Used by Tommy Handley in BBC Radio's ITMA (1940s) and elsewhere. Said to have been used by the entertainer George Formby as 'Eeh, I'll go to the foot of our stairs', as also, 'Eeh, I'll go to our 'ouse (pronounced 'our rouse')' - Robina Hinton, Suffolk . Chris Littlefair gave this variation from the North-East : 'I'll go to the bottom of our garden.'" From "Oops, Pardon Mrs Arden! An Embarrassment of Domestic Catchphrases" by Nigel Rees (Robson Books, London, 2001) Page 99-100.
> 
> : Submitted by viewers/listeners to Mr. Rees on British TV and radio. The dates are when the informants submitted the information to him.
> 
> Yes, my mother (90 years and going strong) has used this expression for as long as I can remember. I understand it to be a Birmingham saying though, although that may not conflict with Rees giving it a northen origin. For some reason London folk think the English Midlands are in the North.


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## heypresto

e2efour said:


> Perhaps heypresto has a view on this, given that he used it in #6 of this thread (0 in table tennis).
> 
> (I have never heard it before.)



I first heard it from a northerner I met, who told me it was an expression he had heard his family use since he were a lad. I've since liked to use it whenever I can.


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## James Brandon

The extra information is interesting and confirms the meaning, which was clear, overall, from the beginning. The origin (I mean, geographical origin) seems clear too (Northern England and also, apparently, parts of the Midlands). We still do not really know -- but maybe no one does -- why 'the foot of our stairs'.


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## Keith Bradford

Loob said:


> Well, here's one suggestion, ... that it was a deliberately comical variant of "I'll go to hell"...


I endorse that.  I've heard the West Midland variants "Well, I'll go to Hanover... Well, I'll go to Hull and back..."


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## James Brandon

It sounds to me like 'the foot of our stairs' or 'Hull' (cf 'h') or 'Hanover' (cf 'h') could all be euphemisms for 'hell'. The 'foot' could be in opposition to the top of the stairs, giving access to heaven, hence a coded reference to hell: as we know, hell is often represented as being located down below in the netherworld (a torture basement) whereas heaven is often represented as being among the stars and clouds, up there in the sky. So, the expression would be, having expressed surprise and confusion: 'Well, in that case, I'll go to hell (and back), then!' It could carry an extra meaning of derision, along the lines of: hell would be worse than this after all.

PS I don't know about Hanover, but maybe Hull_ is _hell.


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## ewie

I have it on fairly good authority that Hull is at least as lovely as Salford, on a good day.


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## suzi br

ewie said:


> EDIT: Incidentally, mention of _backyard gate_ has reminded me of another expression in exactly the same vein, used for when a person is famished: _I could eat a scabby donkey between two backyard gates._



Is this some sort of sandwich? Pre-dating brie and camembert pannini by some decades. 

 More likely to be served in Hull or Salford, do you think?


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## ewie

Definitely Salford, Suzi.  In Hull they favour rotting mackerel between broken flags


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## suzi br

ewie said:


> Definitely Salford, Suzi.  In Hull they favour rotting mackerel between broken flags





I bow to your Superior Northerness


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## heypresto

I heard Peter Alliss use the expression this evening while commentating on the Masters at Augusta, after one of the golfing chaps hit a particularly fine shot with his bat.

It's probably the first time I've heard it said on the telly.


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## Cooperman

James Brandon said:


> Ok, very interesting. It would be a way of not using "go to hell", along the lines of "gorblimey" in Cockney English being a disguised form of "God Almighty!" as far as I understand.
> 
> Why choose "the foot of our stairs", though? Maybe because the idea is, if you start going up the stairs, eventually, you will rise and rise, and arrive in heaven (or hell, as the case may be). In other words, this would explain why "foot" it is, as opposed to "top".
> 
> I get the feeling this is one of those expressions that are never used unselfconsciously, i.e. that are always used in ironic manner, particularly nowadays. This would explain why it is used in soap operas with Yorkshire characters etc - scriptwriters love a good cliché, particularly if they do not come from the region in question...
> 
> All the references I have seen do mention N England, Ewie. And thanks for the other - very funny - idioms: I shall try and use the donkey one at the nearest opportunity!


I may be incorrect, but I understood ‘cor blimey’ to be a corruption of ‘God blind me.’
Still with the same meaning though.


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## Uncle Jack

heypresto said:


> after one of the golfing chaps hit a particularly fine shot with his bat.




That's brightened me up no end before heading off for work.





Cooperman said:


> I may be incorrect, but I understood ‘cor blimey’ to be a corruption of ‘God blind me.’


Me too.


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## James Brandon

The origin of 'cor blimey' wasn't the subject of the Thread at the time but I believe you are right and my suggestion was off the mark. In effect, it would be one of those euphemisms where 'God' is reduced to 'cor'; 'blimey' would just be 'blind me' pronounced in a Cockney accent: _Cor blimey, we've cracked this one, then_! 

This website confirms it:-

'Cor blimey' - the meaning and origin of this phrase


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## lingobingo

The earliest example in the OED of “I’ll go to the foot of our stairs” is from 1939.

I tried a bit of googling about its origin, to no avail, but what I did find was several people claiming that it is or was mainly used sarcastically, to imply the opposite of amazement. In other words, to indicate that what has just been said is either hugely underwhelming and/or something that everyone already knows — rather like: “You don’t say” or “Is that right? I’d never have guessed.”

Others are convinced that the phrase was coined to avoid a similar expression using the f-word, but that seems highly unlikely to me.


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## ewie

lingobingo said:


> Others are convinced that the phrase was coined to avoid a similar expression using the f-word


 Could you be a little more informative, LB? ~ I don't get what you mean.


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## lingobingo

I found comments about that here, for example: Lancs saying in The AnswerBank: Phrases & Sayings

And here’s yet another bizarre interpretation (although those alternatives are used, apparently, so maybe there’s something in it?):

The foot of the stairs was en route to the lavatory, as was, in the days of the outside privy, the less well-known alternatives, 'the back of our house' and 'the bottom of our garden'. The implication of the speaker's destination suggests that the real meaning was 'I was so surprised that I soiled myself and need to visit the lavatory to clean up'.​


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## ewie

lingobingo said:


> I found comments about that here, for example: Lancs saying in The AnswerBank: Phrases & Sayings


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## Barque

lingobingo said:


> The foot of the stairs was en route to the lavatory, as was, in the days of the outside privy, the less well-known alternatives, 'the back of our house' and 'the bottom of our garden'. The implication of the speaker's destination suggests that the real meaning was 'I was so surprised that I soiled myself and need to visit the lavatory to clean up'.


That made me laugh so much I spilt some coffee over myself. Excuse me while I go to the foot of the stairs to find a paper towel.


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## James Brandon

I think the interpretation according to which it refers to being on the way to the toilet and soiling oneself etc is a bit far-fetched. What I find interesting is that, on one level, the expression would be used to express surprise, but, on another level, it can be used to mean that you are totally unimpressed by what the person has said (as mentioned by various contributors, also in the Lancashire Thread you have pasted in). I suppose it depends on the context and the person's tone of voice -- sarcastic or not.

By the way, is it still used/ heard, humorously or not, Oop North?


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## lingobingo

Barque said:


> That made me laugh so much I spilt some coffee over myself. Excuse me while I go to the foot of the stairs to find a paper towel.


I knew I shouldn’t (in #26) have replaced my  with that comment in parentheses.


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## Hildy1

Keith Bradford mentions "go to Hull and back" (#14), which sounds similar to "go to hell and back". 

In the same way, "go to the foot of our stairs" starts out sounding rather like "go to the pit of hell", especially if you make a slight pause after "foot".


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## Powsterbags

This was often said by my parents and Grandparents who were all from St Helens, Lancashire (now Merseyside, but always Lancashire to a true St Helenser ). My grandad told me that ' I'll go t' foot of our stairs' meant that you where literally knocked down with suprise and so would be at a low point i.e., the floor. This also applied to the ' bottom' of our yard and strangely, the 'back' of our house. He never mentioned a link with hell.
He used many old sayings. One of my favourites was "y' sound like stores 'orse", when everyone could hear you having a wee.


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## James Brandon

Thanks, P., for this insight into the use of the expression, which is (or was) commonly used in Lancashire (including Merseyside). I wonder whether it is still commonly used: you mention its use by your grandfather and you are familiar with the expression, but you do not actually say that people (including young people) use it today. It would be interesting to know.

Regarding meaning, you state that it is to express surprise. Something occurred to me: would the reference to 'the foot of my stairs' be a way of saying, 'I'm going to sit down on the steps until I've recovered from the shock/ surprise'? Then again, if this were the meaning, you could just as well sit... on a chair.


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## PaulQ

James Brandon said:


> I think the interpretation according to which it refers to being on the way to the toilet and soiling oneself etc is a bit far-fetched.


And yet this is not far-fetched?


James Brandon said:


> Something occurred to me: would the reference to 'the foot of my stairs' be a way of saying, 'I'm going to sit down on the steps until I've recovered from the shock/ surprise'?


The link in lingobingo's post #26 goes to what seems to be a rather unreliable website (judging by the poor standard of English and wild speculation), but it does contain a piece of advice: The final post has





> QM in his original answer only used the term 'probably' and did not give any reference to definitive use of the phrase, ....
> This particular thread has become really overblown in its importance and merely goes to show that phrases are used in many different ways by different types of people and from different regions, which even the most eminent linguist would not dispute.


This is probably a good time to say, in the words of the OED, "Etymology uncertain."


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## James Brandon

Most of the time, etymology is uncertain and meaning can be debated. Amen.


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## PaulQ

James Brandon said:


> meaning can be debated.


Not meaningfully in the absence of facts, as this takes us into the unreleiable area of the metaphysics of speculation.


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## ewie

James Brandon said:


> Most of the time, etymology is uncertain and meaning can be debated. Amen.


Actually most of the time etymology is very certain ~ the percentage of items in the OED marked 'etymology uncertain/unknown' is vanishingly small.


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## James Brandon

I haven't checked all the entries of the OED and do not intend to do so. Having said that, the contributor (P) gave an insight into the use of the phrase in one part of England that he is familiar with, and I thought, personally, that it was useful. I am not sure I understand where the problem is, insofar as there is a problem.


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## ewie

Who mentioned a problem? ~ I was merely refuting what you said.  Etymology is _rarely_ uncertain.


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## GreenWhiteBlue

Just to make the expected comment from this side of the Atlantic, the expression is not used in American English, I myself had never heard of such a thing in any variety of English until reading this thread today, and I expect that upon hearing this expression with no further explanation, most Americans would have no idea what idea was being expressed other than the literal one.


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## Roxxxannne

GreenWhiteBlue said:


> Just to make the expected comment from this side of the Atlantic, the expression is not used in American English, I myself had never heard of such a thing in any variety of English until reading this thread today, and I expect that upon hearing this expression with no further explanation, most Americans would have no idea what idea was being expressed other than the literal one.


Although we are amused to read your discussion of scabby donkeys, soiling oneself, and outspoken grandfathers.   

To add to the discussion of Hull, Hanover, and Hell, I have heard 'like a bat out of Halifax."


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## James Brandon

It is good to read some people are enjoying this Thread -- from the other side of the Atlantic.

I have never heard the expression being used in South-Eastern England and London. It may be used in the South-East but, if it is, I have never come across it.


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## PaulQ

Roxxxannne said:


> To add to the discussion of Hull, Hanover, and Hell,


There was a saying "From Hull, Hell and Halifax, Good Lord deliver us." The Beggar's Litany -> The Yorkshire Garland Group


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## ewie

There are clearly people on this side of the Atlantic enjoying the thread too. despite the passive aggression.


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## Denace

I heard "well I'll go to the top of our stairs" which may have been a misrepresentation by an actor. I immediately assumed (hmm) it meant like my house, where someone comes to the front door and stays long enough that you come out of an upstairs room because something unusual has happened, like a surprise visit from a person you haven't seen or is unwelcome, or bad news, and you stand on the landing amazed. Just a thought.


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## James Brandon

Without re-reading the whole thread (going back 12 years!), the standard expression seems to be "well, I'll go the _foot_ of my stairs". Your explanation, Denace, sounds convincing in this respect. But the expression, if it is purely idiomatic, may not relate directly to a 'practical' situation. Opinions, among contributors, in this respect, as I recall, differed.


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## Denace

James Brandon said:


> Without re-reading the whole thread (going back 12 years!), the standard expression seems to be "well, I'll go the _foot_ of my stairs". Your explanation, Denace, sounds convincing in this respect. But the expression, if it is purely idiomatic, may not relate directly to a 'practical' situation. Opinions, among contributors, in this respect, as I recall, differed.


Good point, but imagination is hard to stifle. Why would I go to the foot of the stairs, too? To see what's happening upstairs? Just a thought.


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## James Brandon

Yes, with, 'I'll go to the foot of my stairs', it could refer to a loud incident upstairs (in the house) and I am _downstairs_, and I am surprised, and I want to go to the foot of the stairs to have a look and see what is happening _upstairs._.. That's one possibility!


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## Keith Bradford

Oh, I'd always supposed it was another of those euphemisms: "Well I'll go to fu... oot of our stairs!."  Just like "Go... rdon Bennett!" and "Je... e whiz!"


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## James Brandon

But, if it is, why 'the foot of my stairs' and not 'up the chimney' or 'into my privy', or something? (And not that I disagree with the idea that it is indeed a euphemism.)


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## Denace

Two good points. It could be either. It seems to be a Northern expression. Maybe a Viking coined it. Did they have stairs? D


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## Preacherman

Denace said:


> Two good points. It could be either. It seems to be a Northern expression. Maybe a Viking coined it. Did they have stairs? D



As a Lancashire lad my mother used it (in Blackpool) all the time.  I still use it, and my London-born wife now understands it!  You have to picture a family living in a two-up two-down house.  The person downstairs hears some news or something amusing or amazing, so their natural reaction is to "go to the foot of our stairs" to call to the family member up there and share the news with them.   That's what we actually did!   Norman Evans the very funny northern female-impersonator comic on which Les Dawson based his character also used the expression.


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## heypresto

Preacherman said:


> I still use it


I'm glad to hear that. I'm a soft Southerner, but I heard it from a Northerner some time ago, and have used it here and elsewhere ever since.

Welcome to WR.


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## James Brandon

This is a good explanation (above):  _You have to picture a family living in a two-up two-down house. The person downstairs hears some news or something amusing or amazing, so their natural reaction is to "go to the foot of our stairs" to call to the family member up there and share the news with them. _

If we want an explanation of the expression and we assume it is not, merely, an absurdist idiom, then it would make perfect sense.


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