three stops short of Dagenham

English

WOTD – 23 April 2021

Etymology

The term refers to the location of Barking station on the District line of the London Underground, which is three stops west of Dagenham Heathway tube station, in allusion to the phrase barking mad.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌθɹiː stɒps ˈʃɔːt əv ˈdæɡən(ə)m/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌθɹi stɑps ˈʃɔɹt əv ˈdæɡənəm/
• Hyphenation: three stops short of Dag‧en‧ham

Adjective

three stops short of Dagenham (not comparable)

1. (British, slang, humorous) Crazy; mad.

   Synonyms: barking, barking mad; see also Thesaurus:insane

   Antonyms: see Thesaurus:sane

   • 2001 March 15, Tamasin Day-Lewis, “So wonderfully unrefined”, in Charles Moore, editor, The Daily Telegraph‎^[1], London: Telegraph Media Group, →ISSN, →OCLC:

     If you don't already insist on the word "unrefined" being on your bags of sugar, I am willing to bet that you will from this day forth, unless you: a) suffer from a particularly virulent inability to be influenced for the better by anyone or anything; b) are three stops short of Dagenham (check it out on a Tube map); or c) are so uninterested in sourcing good ingredients that you shouldn't be let loose in the kitchen.

   • 2010 April 18, Robert Epstein, “Britain’s got plenty of exhibitionists, but has it got talent?”, in The Independent‎^[2], London: Independent News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 4 June 2020:

     [...] Floral Highnotes brilliantly combined opera and flower-arranging in what can only be described as a performance that was three stops short of Dagenham. Which is to say, for those not au fait with the London Underground, Barking.

   • 2011, Jimmy Frazier, “Barry’s Nose”, in Nurse! Nurse!: A Student Nurse’s Story, London: Constable & Robinson, →ISBN:

     He winked at me. ‘Now, my friend, I’m three stops short of Dagenham.’ / ‘Three stops short of Dagenham?’ I asked. / Bert roared with laughter. ‘Barking, mate,’ he said. ‘I’m fucking barking.’

   • 2011 May 22, Justin Urquhart Stewart, “Money briefing: May 22”, in The Times‎^[3], London: News UK, →ISSN, →OCLC:

     If you invest in a business where even they say they won't make money, you're three stops short of Dagenham.

   • 2014 June 19, Emma Hughes, “Town Mouse on some Cupcakes with a Difference”, in Mark Hedges, editor, Country Life‎^[4], London: TI Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 8 August 2020:

     On the other side of the room, a crowd has gathered around a box of chocolate cupcakes filled with Marmite from chic London bakery LOLA's. It sounds three stops short of Dagenham (Barking), but, strangely, it works.

   • 2019 March 1, “Evening Standard comment: […] Barking is just bellissimo”, in George Osborne, editor, Evening Standard‎^[5], London: Evening Standard, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 1 April 2019:

     If you told even the most loyal residents of Barking that their station was a masterpiece they’d probably think you were three stops short of Dagenham.

Related terms

• get off at Haymarket

Translations

crazy; mad — see crazy,‎ mad