Just A Minute

 
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Hoist with your own petard

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Greg LindenFeb 5, 2008
 

 
As an American, I can vouch that, while not used much
conversationally, the phrase is reasonably well-known here. As to
its origins, the following is a good reference:

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/hoist%20by%20your%20own%20petard.html

Greg


At 8:15 AM +0000 2/5/08, lapsedcat wrote:

>Robert,
>
>Am I right in thinking you're American? I'm sure I've read posts from
>you in the past where you have alluded to this fact. Plus, the
>inclusion of the "L" in your name would suggest this is so (Americans
>do like to include their middle initial far more than Brits - I'd be
>even more delighted if your username was Robert L. Torres III)
>
>Anyway, the phrase "Hoist by your own petard" still passes as
>conversational currency in these Isles, and generally gets trotted
>out when some instance of sheer hypocrisy or chicanery is exposed...
>the word "petard" comes from the French, and is one of those handful
>of Gallic words which entered the English language centuries ago and
>somehow stuck... don't ask me what it means, but I suspect it has
>naval connotations.
>
>
>--- In just-a-minute@..., "Robert L. Torres"
><bobbyshaddoe3004@...> wrote:
>>
>> I'd like to take a moment and discuss the frequent use of this,
>quite
>> frankly, ridiculous phrase in Just a Minute.... that such and such
>a
>> person was 'hoist with his or her own petard'. What the hell is a
>> petard anyway?
>>
>> This has been used so often throughout the show's history, and I
>> think it was started by Kenneth Williams whenever someone that
>> challenged another person so smugly or dared to challenge him so
>> smugly, he would retaliate by saying that they had been 'hoist with
>> their own petard', very much reveling in his behavior of an overly
>> petulant five year old.
>>
>> it's not the sort of thing that's even used nowadays, in fact the
>> only person that would say that phrase is Nicholas, and frankly the
>> fact that it's been used so often much like the phrase 'benefit of
>> the doubt', it's lost all meaning, frankly I'm glad they don't use
>> that phrase anymore, as it has no place in the series the way it is
>> now.
>>
>> i'm curious as to what people think about this particular phrase
>> whether they liked it or not or if anyone can recall any instances
>> where something humourous has emerged surrounding this particular
>> phrase.
>>
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