western australia

I'll go to the foot of the stairs

@JudyEv (331988)

Rockingham, Australia

April 8, 2024 8:14pm CST

We had lunch yesterday with three other couples. We’ve all been friends for years. One is English but has been in Australia for many years. However, he came out with an expression we’d never heard before when he said ‘I’ll go to the foot of the stairs.’ It’s used mostly when someone is surprised or in sarcastic mock surprise. I couldn’t find out how the saying originated other than that it also sometimes used as a substitute oath, where the speaker says something innocent but meaningless rather than more forceful swearing. The photo is of some stairs we saw in Rome.

20 people like this

19 responses

@snowy22315 (174710)

• United States

9 Apr

Must confess I never heard that one. The English seem to have a crazy amount of slang expressions.

5 people like this

show previous comments

@Orson_Kart (6347)

• United Kingdom

9 Apr

@snowy22315 I resemble that remark!

3 people like this

@JudyEv (331988)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Apr

2 people like this

@JudyEv (331988)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Apr

They do indeed. No wonder it's such a hard language to learn.

3 people like this

Show more comments

@LadyDuck (466074)

• Switzerland

9 Apr

This is an expression that I also never heard. I think this is the beautiful stair of the Vatican Museum in Rome.

2 people like this

show previous comments

@LadyDuck (466074)

• Switzerland

9 Apr

You visited so many places in a short time. Hard to remember everything.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (331988)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Apr

@LadyDuck A friend's son was made a deacon at/in the Vatican. We had a young trainee priest take us through the catacombs. It was very special.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (331988)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Apr

Yes, that would have been in the Vatican Museum. I just wasn't positive so I didn't say so.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@besweet (9859)

• Ireland

9 Apr

I have never heard of that before! It's always good to learn new expressions.

2 people like this

show previous comments

@besweet (9859)

• Ireland

10 Apr

@JudyEv I am sure even the locals don't know everything!

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (331988)

• Rockingham, Australia

10 Apr

I was a bit surprised I didn't know this one but there are probably hundreds more I don't know.

2 people like this

Show more comments

@RebeccasFarm (87335)

• United States

9 Apr

Now this one I had never heard of thanks Judy..I had to look it up. It seems it is quirky and an expression of surprise at something. And that it is mostly a North of England saying.

2 people like this

show previous comments

@RebeccasFarm (87335)

• United States

9 Apr

@JudyEv And I am surprised I hadn't either.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (331988)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Apr

Sometimes I've mentioned a saying and just about everyone knows it but very few seem to have heard of this.

2 people like this

Show more comments

Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (314741)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

9 Apr

I've never heard that expression. Thanks for sharing.

2 people like this

show previous comments

Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (314741)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

9 Apr

@JudyEv I'm sure it is.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (331988)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Apr

It might be peculiarly British. No-one seems to have heard of it.

2 people like this

Show more comments

@grenery8 (5901)

• Croatia (Hrvatska)

9 Apr

haven't heard it but i shall try to remember it, thank you

2 people like this

@JudyEv (331988)

• Rockingham, Australia

10 Apr

I'm not sure it's worth remembering but you might get the chance to use it one day.

2 people like this

@grenery8 (5901)

• Croatia (Hrvatska)

10 Apr

@JudyEv that is what i thought exactly

1 person likes this

@Orson_Kart (6347)

• United Kingdom

9 Apr

I’m familiar with the saying, but it’s not often used. Maybe in comedy sketches?

The actual phrase is - “Well, I’ll go to the foot of our stairs!” Like you say, it’s an expression of surprise. A bit like “Well I never!” Or “Would you believe it!”, or if you can do a cockney accent, “Cor blimey, Guv’nor!” Much like your, “Strewth, Sheila!”

2 people like this

@JudyEv (331988)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Apr

Thanks for enlarging on the meaning and how it's used. It doesn't seem anywhere near as well known as some.

1 person likes this

@wolfgirl569 (100062)

• Marion, Ohio

9 Apr

I never heard that one

2 people like this

@JudyEv (331988)

• Rockingham, Australia

10 Apr

It's new to me too.

2 people like this

@RasmaSandra (76340)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

9 Apr

That is interesting. I have heard some strange Australian slang phrases like something about apples and pears when referring to going down or up the stairs,

2 people like this

@JudyEv (331988)

• Rockingham, Australia

10 Apr

Apples and pears would be what they call Cockney rhyming slang. They use rhyming words for another word so 'trouble and strife' means 'wife', 'dog and bone' means 'phone'.

2 people like this

Lenore Plassman

@sallypup (59188)

• Centralia, Washington

9 Apr

Those are stunning works of art, those stairs.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (331988)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Apr

They are really lovely, aren't they?

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (331988)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Apr

We saw some other great stairs in an old hotel in France but I don't have a photo of them.

2 people like this

@JESSY3236 (19393)

• United States

9 Apr

I never heard of that one either.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (331988)

• Rockingham, Australia

10 Apr

Some of these sayings almost disappear then you hear someone use it again.

2 people like this

@Shiva49 (26383)

• Singapore

9 Apr

I would have taken its meaning literally. I am hearing it for the first time.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (331988)

• Rockingham, Australia

10 Apr

It seems very few have heard of it before.

2 people like this

@LindaOHio (166289)

• United States

9 Apr

I've never heard that one. It's nice that you have friends to socialize with. Love the photo. Have a good day.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (331988)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Apr

Three of the group all have birthdays about this time so we thought we'd have a meal together.

2 people like this

@Beestring (13901)

• Hong Kong

9 Apr

Never heard of this saying. I've learned something new. Thank you.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (331988)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Apr

It's interesting to come across a new saying.

2 people like this

@AmbiePam (87819)

• United States

9 Apr

That is one I am not familiar with at all.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (331988)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Apr

It was a new one to me too.

1 person likes this

@kaylachan (62739)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

9 Apr

Not a saying I'm familiar with.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (331988)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Apr

It seems not many have heard it before.

1 person likes this

sweetloveforeve

@sweetloveforeve (13120)

• Portugal

10 Apr

I really love how some expressions vary from country to country and it is so nice to know the real meaning of the expressions

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (331988)

• Rockingham, Australia

11 Apr

I'm sure every country has its own unique sayings. It's interesting to learn new ones even if you don't intend to use them.

1 person likes this

@jstory07 (135930)

• Roseburg, Oregon

9 Apr

I like that picture of the stairs.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (331988)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Apr

They were in the Vatican Museum. I thought they were but wasn't positive. Anna confirmed it for me.

1 person likes this

@Dena91 (16277)

• United States

9 Apr

Interesting saying, hadn't heard it before. That's a lot of stairs to climb.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (331988)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Apr

I'm always a bit surprised when I come across a new saying.

2 people like this