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The meaning and origin of the expression: Life's not all beer and skittles

Life's not all beer and skittles

What's the meaning of the phrase 'Life's not all beer and skittles'?

'Beer and skittles' is shorthand for a life of indulgence spent in the pub.

What's the origin of the phrase 'Life's not all beer and skittles'?

Skittles, also known as Ninepins, which was the pre-cursor to ten-pin bowling, has been a popular English pub game since the 17th century. The pins are set up in a square pattern and players attempt to knock them down with a ball. It is still played but not so much as previously.

Beer and skittlesThe game was referred to in Footman's History of the Parish Church of Chipping Lambourn, 1894, which reprints a piece from 1634:

"William Gyde... for playing at skittolles on Sunday."

Citations of beer and skittles and variants appear in literature from the 19th century; for example, Dickens' Pickwick Papers, 1837:

"It's a reg'lar holiday to them - all porter and skittles."

Thomas Hughes' Tom Brown's School Days, 1857:

"Life isn't all beer and skittles."

See also: the List of Proverbs.

Gary Martin - the author of the phrases.org.uk website.

By Gary Martin

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.

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