and a partridge in a pear tree

English

WOTD – 25 December 2020

Etymology

From the traditional Christmas song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” first published around 1780, in which earlier lines are repeated and added to with every succeeding line that is sung. The last round of one version of the song that is commonly sung today ends: “On the twelfth day of Christmas, / My true love sent to me / Twelve drummers drumming, / Eleven pipers piping, / Ten lords a-leaping, / Nine ladies dancing, / Eight maids a-milking, / Seven swans a-swimming, / Six geese a-laying, / Five golden rings, / Four calling birds, / Three French hens, / Two turtledoves / And a partridge in a pear tree.”

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ænd ə ˈpɑːtɹɪd͡ʒ ɪn ə ˌpɛə ˈtɹiː/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ænd ə ˈpɑɹtɹɪd͡ʒ ən ə ˌpɛɚ ˈtɹi/
• Hyphenation: and a par‧tridge in a pear tree

Phrase

and a partridge in a pear tree

1. (humorous) Used at the end of a list of items to emphasize its length. [from 20th c.]
   • 1995, Laurell K[aye] Hamilton, chapter 19, in Circus of the Damned (Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter; 3), New York, N.Y.: Jove Books, published 2002, →ISBN:

     Her dearly departed husband had left no will. He'd always meant to get around to it, but you know how it is, just kept putting it off. I was to raise Mr. Doughal in front of two lawyers, two witnesses, the Doughals' three grown children, and a partridge in a pear tree.

   • 2003 August 5, Jim Butcher, Death Masks (The Dresden Files; 5), New York, N.Y.: Roc Books, →ISBN, page 95:

     In this corner, one missing Shroud, one impossibly and thoroughly dead corpse, one dedicated and deadly vampire warlord, three holy Knights, twenty-nine fallen angels, and a partridge in a pear tree.

   • 2004, Leslie Carroll, chapter 1, in Temporary Insanity: […], New York, N.Y.: Avon Trade, HarperCollins, →ISBN, page 6:

     About three years ago, half of them had piled into a taxicab that subsequently got into a collision with another cab, which contained—coincidentally—the other half of the Melba family. Consequently, we had eight injured Melbas, seven cases of whiplash, six cracked ribs, five fractured wrists, four chipped teeth, three broken noses, and two uninsured taxis. And a partridge in a pear tree.

   • 2009, Susan Scott, “Fierce Practice #2: From Hiring for Smarts to Hiring for Smart+Heart”, in Fierce Leadership: A Bold Alternative to the Worst “Best” Practices of Business Today, New York, N.Y.: Broadway Business, Crown Publishing Group, →ISBN, pages 81–82:

     [W]e are straight, lesbian, married, single, parents, grandparents, "will never have kids!", Christian, "spiritual," Jewish, Republican, Democrat, Independent, American, Iranian, East Coast, West Coast, dog lovers, cat lovers, opera lovers, football fanatics, Gen Y, Gen X, boomers, and a partridge in a pear tree.

   • 2011, Sophie Tamas, Life after Leaving: The Remains of Spousal Abuse (Writing Lives: Ethnographic Narratives), Walnut Creek, Calif.: Left Coast Press, →ISBN, act III—Asking Others, page 93:

     I have one visible minority, one woman who said she's disabled, one with an indigenous background, two who indicated poverty … and a partridge in a pear tree.

   • 2012 April 27, David Ylhainen, chapter 5, in Second Sons, Bloomington, Ind.: WestBow Press, Thomas Nelson, →ISBN, page 48:

     "Mr. Jordan Moore, been in and out of every juvenile facility in the state. Three counts of breaking and entering, four counts of assault, seven misdemeanors for carrying illegal substances, and a partridge in a pear tree," Paul finished with a smirk, handing the rap sheet to Mason.

Translations

used at the end of a list of items to emphasize its length

• French: alouette (fr)
• Hungarian: és egy csíz a csupasz körtefán
• Spanish: y la abuela, y pare usted de contar