none of your beeswax
See also: none of your bee's wax and none of your bees' wax
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
Alteration of none of your business, to soften the force of the retort. [1]
Phrase
- A riposte to badgering questioning, expressing a refusal to answer, and an insistence that the questioner cease prying any further.
- 2003, Augusten Burroughs, Running With Scissors: A Memoir, p194
- “We were just discussing your love life. Or lack thereof.”
- “My love life is none of your beeswax,” she huffed.
- 1996, Stephen King, The Green Mile, p74
- “You can ask, but since it's really none of your beeswax, I think I'll keep my mouth shut on that score.”
- 1977, Albert Ramsdell Gurney, Children, p25
- BARBARA. That’s for me to know.
- RANDY. Come on. Who?
- BARBARA. None of your beeswax.
- 1950, Beverly Cleary, Henry Huggins, p21
- “Whatcha got in that bag?” asked Scooter.
- “None of your beeswax,” answered Henry.
- 2003, Augusten Burroughs, Running With Scissors: A Memoir, p194
Translations
A riposte to badgering questioning
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References
- Palmatier, Robert Allen (1995) Speaking of Animals: A Dictionary of Animal Metaphors, Greenwood Press, →ISBN, pages p.23
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