ten points to Gryffindor

English

Alternative forms

• 10 points to Gryffindor

Etymology

From the Harry Potter series, in which students of the magical school Hogwarts belong to four houses (the protagonist belonging to Gryffindor), and earn or lose points for them based on their actions.

Pronunciation

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Phrase

ten points to Gryffindor

1. (humorous) Used to praise someone for a statement or action viewed as commendable.
   • 2008, James Goss, Torchwood: Almost Perfect, BBC Books, →ISBN, page 90:

     'Well, I'm assuming two things will happen. One, she'll try and kill me, two, you'll come down on her like a ton of bricks.'
     'Ten points to Gryffindor,' said Gwen.

   • 2013, Kristi Cook, Eternal, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 232:

     “Yeah, sure. You know I can't stand the sight of blood, right?”
     “Said no one ever while dating a vampire,” he quipped.
     “Very clever. Ten points to Gryffindor.”

   • 2013, Lara Hovsepian-Ruby, "Words That Should Be Part of the English Language", Caliber Magazine (University of California, Berkeley), Summer 2013, page 12:

     Yeah, well he has a backpfeifengesicht (ten points to Gryffindor if you can pronounce this word), AKA: a face that deserves to be punched.