Re: Home and hosed

Posted by ESC on February 08, 2000

In Reply to: Home and hosed posted by Paul Guthrie on February 07, 2000

: 'Home and hosed' is a fairly common phrase in Australia and New Zealand, and has the meaning 'safe, completed successfully '.

: Does anyone have any clue(s) as to the origin of the phrase?

: Obviously 'home' has an association with being safe, or having sucessfully returned or arrived.

: But how about the 'hosed' part of the phrase? Any ideas or references?

: e.g.
: Has it something to do with a job that requires hosing down equipment, or implements, or work gear, or animals, at the end of the job, i.e. after having arrived home or back at the farmstead?
: Does it mean that you hosed yourself down (i.e. got home and had a shower)?
: Does it mean that got home and put on some stockings or socks?
: None of the above?

: Any suggestions welcome. A book reference would be great.

: Thanks.

My first thought was it had to do with horses coming home and being brushed and hosed off. HOME AND HOSED -- I couldn't find that expression. I did find "home and dry - inf. Or 'over the hump,' or 'home free,' i.e, 'doing all right.' Sometimes 'home and dried,' and even extended occasionally to 'home and dried on the pig's back.'" Whatever that means. ("British English A to Zed" by Norman W. Schur). There were several meanings for hosed, most obscene. There were a couple that fit with the phrase: hosed-out, exhausted by fatigue ("Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang, H-O" by J.E. Lighter) and hosed, Princeton slang for failed to achieve something; rejected ("Slang" by Paul Dickson).