Whiteisms
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Etymology Journal ยท K

Katie, bar the door!

Meaning

Used to describe a situation where trouble is imminent or things are about to get very chaotic. It is a warning to prepare for a rough ride.

Dramatic, urgent

Used in a sentence

  • When the CEO announced layoffs, the managers knew it was Katie bar the door.
  • The storm clouds look dark, so Katie bar the door and get the patio furniture inside.
  • If the toddler finds the markers, Katie bar the door for the living room rug.

The backstory

The phrase is often attributed to a legendary 16th-century Scottish woman named Catherine Douglas. She supposedly used her own arm to bar a door to protect a king from assassins.

Heard in

Nationwide

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