APAD: Bob is your uncle
"Bob's your uncle" is a British English idiom meaning "and there you have it," "it's done," or that something is easy to achieve, used to conclude simple instructions or signify a successful, effortless outcome. Popularized in the UK and Commonwealth countries, it's similar to the French "et voilà!" and often follows a set of simple steps, like "Add flour, eggs, and milk, and Bob's your uncle, you have a cake!".
The origin of the idiom is debatable
One is Nepotism theory: A popular, though likely incorrect, story links it to Prime Minister Robert "Bob" Cecil (Lord Salisbury) appointing his nephew, Arthur Balfour, to a high-profile job in 1887, suggesting success came easily through family connections ("Bob's your uncle").
Robert "Bob" Cecil
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Some research suggests the phrase actually appeared in America first, used to mean something was quick and easy, and was later adopted and popularized by the British.
Variation:
Expressions of self-satisfaction or pride or delight at the end of a sentence describing an action, a situation, an instruction, or direction, especially when it seems easier or quicker than expected:
- A humorous or facetious gender-switching variant is "Roberta's your aunt" (or auntie).
- A long version is "Bob's your uncle and Fanny's your aunt". Versions sometimes spell your as yer.
Expressions with a stronger emphasis on easiness or delight:
- "Piece of cake", an informal expression for something very easy.
- "It's a dawdle", "it's a doddle"[5] and "it's a cinch",[6] other slang expressions for something very easy.
- "Easy peasy", a childish expression for something very easy.
