{"id":9958,"date":"2022-10-06T19:15:10","date_gmt":"2022-10-06T19:15:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/?p=9958"},"modified":"2022-10-06T19:15:10","modified_gmt":"2022-10-06T19:15:10","slug":"jimmy-riddle-meaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/jimmy-riddle-meaning\/","title":{"rendered":"Jimmy Riddle \u2013 Meaning, Origin and Usage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Do you have to take a leak but are shy about announcing your needs? Maybe you want to teach your kids a cute, but polite way to signal that they need a potty break. There are a few different phrases you can use, but Jimmy Riddle is perhaps the easiest to remember. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.<\/p>\n

Meaning<\/h2>\n

The phrase Jimmy Riddle simply means, going to pee. It is a form of slang that comes from Britain. Piddle is the actual word for urination or going to pee, and the phrase is a play on the sound. Piddle has been changed to Riddle, and then further changed to Jimmy Piddle. It is worth noting that this phrase only refers to urination, it doesn\u2019t double as a way to say going to the bathroom. It also does not include taking a dump, which utilizes a different phrase.<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you have to go to the bathroom, or go pee, then saying going to Jimmy Riddle will suffice. It is pretty straightforward, and most people in Europe will understand exactly what you mean. The phrase is not very common in the US or in other places where the Cockney accent is uncommon.<\/p>\n

Example Usage<\/h2>\n

\u201cWe have been hiking for hours, I need to Jimmy Riddle and we have yet to pass a rest stop\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cMake sure you take the kids to Jimmy Riddle before you get back on the road, you don\u2019t want any accidents\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, tell the boss I\u2019ll be right back, I need to Jimmy Riddle and I don\u2019t want to interrupt his speech\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cHitting the road is great and all, but if you take an off-the-wall route, you will end up having to Jimmy Riddle in the bushes\u201d.<\/p>\n

Origin<\/h2>\n

The phrase Jimmy Riddle may seem like a kid\u2019s rhyme, but this is far from the case. The origin of the phrase can be traced to East London. In East London, the locals speak Cockney, which is a slang form of British English. The people in this area of the country tend to use words that rhyme as a stand-in word for the original phrase. This habit is pervasive in all words in Cockney.<\/p>\n

In London, the word used for urination is piddle. As a result, in cockney, the phrase was changed to riddle. It started being used at the end of 1800 and the start of the 1900s. Piddle and riddle were rhymed, though the source of Jimmy is unknown.<\/p>\n