Johnny-come-lately
English
Alternative forms
- johnny-come-lately, Jonny-come-lately (rarer)
Etymology
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Pronunciation
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˌdʒɒni.kʌmˈleɪtli/
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "US" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˌdʒɑːni.kʌmˈleɪtli/
Audio (US): (file) Audio (AU): (file)
Noun
Johnny-come-lately (plural Johnny-come-latelies or Johnnies-come-lately)
- (idiomatic, also attributive) A newcomer; a novice; an upstart.
- Synonyms: greenhorn, newcomer, novice; see also Thesaurus:newcomer, Thesaurus:beginner
- She might take offense if some Johnny-come-lately thinks he can do a better job.
- 1963 [1961], Fannie Hurst, God Must Be Sad, New York: Pocket Books, page 79:
- Morris now shared financial decisions with a woman, a female Johnny-come-lately. Imagine the eventuality of Morris's share of their fortune ever falling into such Johnny-come-lately hands. God forbid!
- 2005 September 10, Martin Jacques, “Great leaps and bounds”, in The Guardian[1]:
- In a field increasingly populated with Johnnies-come-lately, Gittings is a Johnny-come-early: one only has to read this book to feel the depth and span of his knowledge.
- 2014 August 21, Mike Pender, “Food safety too crucial to be left to johnny-come-lately ministers”, in The Guardian[2]:
- The government should give the agency its independence back so that it can get on with the task of protecting consumers in relation to food without political interference from johnny-come-lately ministers.
Translations
newcomer
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Further reading
- “johnny-come-lately (n.)”, in Green’s Dictionary of Slang, Jonathon Green, 2016–present