fetch and carry

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See also: fetch-and-carry

English[edit]

WOTD – 20 September 2021

Etymology[edit]

From fetch +‎ and +‎ carry, originally a reference to a trained dog fetching and conveying an object back to its master:[1] see, for example, William Shakespeare’s play The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Act III, scene i (spelling modernized): “She hath more qualities than a water-spaniel, […] She can fetch and carry: why a horse can do no more; nay, a horse cannot fetch, but only carry, therefore is she better than a jade.”[2]

Pronunciation[edit]

Verb[edit]

fetch and carry (third-person singular simple present fetches and carries, present participle fetching and carrying, simple past and past participle fetched and carried) (idiomatic)

  1. (intransitive)
    1. To serve obsequiously.
      • 1795, [Samuel Jackson] Pratt, “Letter XXXVII. To the Same [the Honourable Mrs. B.].”, in Gleanings through Wales, Holland and Westphalia. With Views of Peace and War at Home and Abroad. […], volume II, London: […] T[homas] N[orton] Longman, and L. B. Seeley, […], →OCLC, pages 202–203:
        It was curious to ſee what heavy burthens your true court-bred ladies and gentlemen can bear in the ſervice of their prince, aye and bear ſmilingly. […] [L]ike that enduring animal [the ass] they appeared to be ſo familiar with ſlavery, that they took patiently what nothing but a beaſt of burthen would deign to carry. […] As Benedict ſays, "an oak with but one green leaf on it, would have refuſed" to fetch and carry in this cur or courtier-like manner.
      • 1819 July 1, “The Political Vis——ss”, in [John Mitford], editor, The New Bon Ton Magazine; or, Telescope of the Times, volume III, number 15, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], →OCLC, page 179:
        A nephew of hers, after receiving some learning at her ladyship's expence, got a commission, and fell upon the field of Waterloo; another is still at her heels, as a sort of jackall to fetch and carry when required.
      • 1836, “‘’Tis Only My Husband!’”, in The Every Body’s Album: A Humorous Collection of Tales, Quips, Quirks, Anecdotes, and Facetiæ, volume I, Philadelphia, Pa.: Charles Alexander, […], →OCLC, page 371:
        Fitz was thus changed at once into "only my husband"—the humblest of all humble animals. He fetches and carries; goes errands, lugs bandboxes and bundles; takes up the yelling little Fitzgigs at night, when they squall, and walks in his shirt with them up and down the room for hours, whether the weather be warm or cold; […]
      • 1855 December – 1857 June, Charles Dickens, “A Shoal of Barnacles”, in Little Dorrit, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1857, →OCLC, book the first (Poverty), page 302:
        [T]hey fetched and carried, and toadied and jobbed, and corrupted, and ate heaps of dirt, and were indefatigable in the public service.
      • c. 1868–1869, “an Edinburgh lady” [pseudonym], “Mrs. Malapert’s Letters to Her Cousin. No. 1. On Sick Cookery.”, in English Homes, or, Our Own “Saxon” Periodical: A Suggestive Family Journal, London: Groomsbridge and Sons; Edinburgh: J. Menzies & Co.; Dublin: McGlashan & Gill, →OCLC, page 328:
        But in reality, if girls get under kind mistresses who would teach them, and they were willing, they would be fit for any kitchen maid's situation; […] And then see what advantages those young girls had who were only fit to fetch and carry as they were ordered, but nevertheless had their wits about them and picked up a deal of knowledge, while only useful to hand things.
      • 1878 September 7, [Annie] Keary, “A Doubting Heart”, in Littel’s Living Age, volume XXIII (5th Series; volume CXXXVIII overall), number 1786, Boston, Mass.: Littel & Gay, →OCLC, chapter X (Horace Kirkman), page 610:
        Can't I carry those things anywhere for you? No? to Lady River's room you say, and I should disturb her. Too clumsy, in fact—but what am I good for but to fetch and carry for you?
      • 1895 September, W[illiam] Clark Russell, “A Three-stranded Yarn. The Wreck of the Lady Emma.”, in [John Brisben Walker and A. S. Hardy], editors, The Cosmopolitan: A Monthly Illustrated Magazine, volume XIX, number 5, Irvington-on-the-Hudson, N.Y.: J[ohn] B[risben] Walker; from the Cosmopolitan Press, →OCLC, chapter XXVIII (Mr. Moore Ends His Story), page 556, column 2:
        Without his inspiring companionship her spirits would have sunk, her heart must have broken. He fetched and carried, cooked and toiled, for her comfort; he devised a dozen schemes to divert her.
      • 1987, Neil Philip, “The Marriage of Sir Gawain”, in The Tale of Sir Gawain, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Lutterworth Press, →ISBN, page 40:
        So for weeks the king [King Arthur] was a drudge, fetching and carrying for this surly, bullying master.
      • 1988, Hans Lenneberg, “The Memoirs of Eduard Hanslick”, in Witnesses and Scholars: Studies in Musical Biography (Musicology; 5), New York, N.Y., London: Gordon and Breach Science Publishers, →ISBN, →ISSN, page 151:
        Miss [Marie] Recio dominated [Hector] Berlioz who fetched and carried for her in the rôle of the henpecked lover, a part ridiculously at odds with the composer's arrogance – nor did it suit those eyes and that head.
      • 1998, Sarah Dreher, chapter 1, in Shaman’s Moon (A Stoner McTavish Mystery), Norwich, Vt.: New Victoria Publishers, →ISBN, page 17:
        If they all knew how she was feeling, they'd probably start treating her like an old person. Raising their voices and speaking in simple sentences and fetching and carrying. Hermione Moore had no intention of being fetched and carried for as long as she could assume a vertical position.
    2. (dated) To carry gossip, news, etc., from one person to another; to bear tales, to gossip.
      Synonyms: see Thesaurus:gossip
      • 1770, Samuel Foote, The Lame Lover, a Comedy in Three Acts. […], London: […] Paul Vaillant; and sold by P[eter] Elmsly […]; and Robinson and Roberts, […], →OCLC, Act II, page 50:
        And as Miſs is ſo fond of fetching and carrying, you may tell her we are to have a private play among ourſelves, as the quality have: the Diſtruſtful Mother, 'tis call'd— […]
      • 1796–1797 (date written), Richard Burdsall, Memoirs of the Life of Richard Burdsall; Shewing the Mercy of God in Christ Jesus, to a Sinner; and of His Testimony to the Truth He Hath Received. […], York, Yorkshire: […] W. Hick, […], published [1797], →OCLC, page 22:
        This young woman had an own cousin lived servant with her father, he was counsel keeper on both sides, and often fetched and carried.
      • 1834 October 24, “IV.—Morality of the Talmud. Hilchoth Deoth:—Ethic Precepts.”, in Morris J[acob] Raphall, editor, The Hebrew Review and Magazine of Rabbinical Literature, volume I, number 4, London: […] Simpkin and Marshall, […], published 1835, →OCLC, division VII, section 2, page 61, column 1:
        What is called talebearing? He that fetches and carries, goes about from one to another, and says, "I have heard so and so from such an one. Such an one has done such a thing." And even should what he asserts be true, it is still mischievous and pernicious, as this prohibition comprises the fearful sin of speaking evil of any one, though it be truth.
  2. (transitive, dated) To carry or convey (gossip, news, etc.) from one person to another; to bear (tales).

Derived terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ “to fetch and carry” under “fetch, v.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, June 2021; “fetch and carry, phrase”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
  2. ^ William Shakespeare (c. 1590–1591) “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, Act III, scene i, page 30, column 2: “Shee hath more qualities then a Water-Spaniell, […] Shee can fetch and carry: why a horſe can doe no more; nay, a horſe cannot fetch, but onely carry, therefore is ſhee better then a Iade.”

Further reading[edit]

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