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Man cave

Man cave

Meaning

A shed or some other retreat that men decorate in the way they choose (with or without their male friends) and use to relax in traditional male pursuits.

Examples

After I retired Sheila was getting so fed up with me being around the house that she made me turn the outhouse into a man cave. Now the guys come round each afternoon to play cards and watch tv and I’ve made a sculpture out of beer cans.

Where did it originate?

USA, late 20th century.

Where is it used?

Worldwide. A fairly recent coinage but spreading rapidly around the world.

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About the Author

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.
Man cave

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