present company excepted

English

Alternative forms

Phrase

present company excepted

  1. (idiomatic) These negative remarks do not pertain to anyone who is currently listening to them (including the speaker).
    • 1853, Charles Dickens, Bleak House, ch. 54:
      Everybody it appears, the present company excepted, has plotted against Mrs Snagsby’s peace.
    • 1921, P. G. Wodehouse, Indiscretions of Archie, ch. 26:
      "I say, Reggie, old thing—present company excepted—have there been any loonies in your family?"
    • 2009 Dec. 2, Romesh Ratnesar and Bill Saporito, "How Will Tiger Woods' Apology Affect His Image?," Time (retrieved 15 Sept 2013):
      Well, even Stanford guys aren't perfect (present company excepted, of course).

See also

References
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