English idiom

Bob's your uncle

Register · Informal CEFR C1

Post

Figurative meaning

used after simple instructions to signal that the task is finished or the result achieved

Word picture

A task ends with Bob suddenly presented as your uncle, making the result sound immediate and settled.

Example

“Add the final screw, close the cover, and Bob's your uncle—the lamp is ready.”

Recorded usage

These full forms were measured in COCA in 2016–2017. Counts apply to the quoted form, not every use of this idiom; overlapping forms are not added together.

“Bob's your uncle!” — 7 recorded occurrences

Grouped source variants; editorially classified here as an idiom. Usage counts are separate from CEFR difficulty.

Dictionary details

Alternate forms

and Bob's your uncle

Component words

bob uncle

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

so far so good

used to say that things have gone well up to now

hit the nail on the head

To describe or identify something exactly right.

see the light of day

be created, published, or finally made available for people to see

sing the praises of

to praise a person or thing enthusiastically when speaking to others

a piece of cake

Something that is very easy to do.

bad news

an unpleasant piece of information; (informal) a person or thing likely to cause trouble

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

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