Etymology Journal ยท S
Son of a gun!
Meaning
- An expression of surprise or mild frustration. It can also be used to describe a person who is clever, tricky, or just a bit of a rascal.
Affectionate, casual
Used in a sentence
- Well, son of a gun, I never thought I would see you here.
- He is a tricky son of a gun when it comes to playing poker.
- Son of a gun, I left my keys inside the house.
The backstory
Historically debated, some suggest this refers to boys born on the decks of warships behind the gun partitions, though this is likely a folk etymology. It has been used since at least the 18th century.
Heard in
Nationwide
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