friend of Bill W.
Appearance
English
[edit]Alternative forms
[edit]Etymology
[edit]An allusion to William Griffith Wilson (1895–1971), known as “Bill W.”, one of the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Pronunciation
[edit]Audio (General Australian): (file)
Noun
[edit]friend of Bill W. (plural friends of Bill W.)
- (idiomatic, euphemistic) A recovering alcoholic, especially one who is a member of the organization Alcoholics Anonymous.
- 1994 May 31, “Obituary: Middletown BRIAN EDWARD CRAWFORD”, in Providence Journal, USA, page D10:
- He was a friend of Bill W. and had just celebrated Ten Years of Sobriety.
- 2003 February 23, Lynne Margolis, “Delbert McClinton rocks the boat for music lovers”, in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, retrieved July 8, 2011:
- The Sandy Beaches cruise offers Alcoholics Anonymous meetings billed simply as Friends of Bill W.
- 2004, Jack Canfield et al., Chicken Soup for the Recovering Soul,[1], →ISBN, page 49:
- Most people in recovery know that asking if you are a friend of Bill W. is an anonymous way to identify yourself as a member of AA.
Usage notes
[edit]- Because of the stigma attached to alcoholism, and Alcoholics Anonymous' commitment to protecting the identities of its members, the phrase is a furtive shibboleth for individuals to identify themselves as members of Alcoholics Anonymous, or to identify Alcoholics Anonymous meetings on schedules, etc.
- Often used in eulogies and obituaries when the deceased person was a recovering alcoholic.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- “friend of Bill W.”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.