bedpost

a notch in (someone's) bedpost

A casual sexual partner, especially a one-night stand, counted as a tally in the overall number of someone's sexual partners. Janet was never interested in a serious boyfriend during college; she was only looking for notches in her bedpost. So is that all I am to you, John? A notch in your bedpost? I must have just been a notch in his bedpost because he never called me again.

See also: bedpost, notch

a notch on (someone's) bedpost

A casual sexual partner, especially a one-night stand, counted as a tally in the overall number of someone's sexual partners. Janet was never interested in a serious boyfriend during college; she was only looking for notches on her bedpost. So is that all I am to you, John? A notch on your bedpost? I must have just been a notch on his bedpost because he never called me again.

See also: bedpost, notch, on

between you, (and) me, and the bedpost

What is going to be or has been said should not be told to anyone else. This phrase is usually said along with information that needs to be kept secret. I overheard the boss talking to her secretary last night and—just between you, me, and the bedpost—she's giving the promotion to George after all. Between you and me and the bedpost, Stephanie is not as qualified for this job as she claims to be. Now, this is between you, me, and the bedpost, but I'm thinking about filing for divorce.

See also: and, bedpost, between

between you, (and) me, and the gatepost

What is going to be or has been said should not be told to anyone else; between us. This phrase is usually said along with information that needs to be kept secret. Primarily heard in UK. I overheard the boss talking to her secretary last night and—just between you, me, and the gatepost—she's giving the promotion to George after all. Between you and me and the gatepost, Stephanie is not as qualified for this job as she claims to be. Now, this is between you, me, and the gatepost, but I'm thinking about filing for divorce.

See also: and, between, gatepost

between you, (and) me, and the lamppost

In complete confidence between the speaker and the listener, as of a forthcoming secret or rumor. Now, this is between you, me, and the lamppost, but I'm thinking about filing for divorce. Between you and me and the lamppost, I hear that they're going to lay off half the staff by the end of the week. I overheard the boss talking to her secretary last night and—just between you, me, and the lamppost—she's giving the promotion to George after all.

See also: and, between, lamppost

between you, (and) me, and these four walls

What is going to be or has been said should not be told to anyone else. This phrase is usually said along with information that needs to be kept secret. I overheard the boss talking to her secretary last night and—just between you, me, and these four walls—she's giving the promotion to George after all. Between you and me and these four walls, Stephanie is not as qualified for this job as she claims to be. Now, this is between you, me, and these four walls, but I'm thinking about filing for divorce.

See also: and, between, four, these, wall

between you, me, and the four walls

What is going to be or has been said should not be told to anyone else. This phrase is usually said along with information that needs to be kept secret. I overheard the boss talking to her secretary last night and—just between you, me, and the four walls—she's giving the promotion to George after all. Between you and me and the four walls, Stephanie is not as qualified for this job as she claims to be. Now, this is between you, me, and the four walls, but I'm thinking about filing for divorce.

See also: and, between, four, wall

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

between you (and) me and the bedpost

 and between you and me and these four walls

Fig. a somewhat affected way of signaling that you are about to tell a secret. Alan: What's wrong with Ellen these days? She seems so touchy. Jane: Between you and me and the bedpost, I've heard that her boyfriend is seeing someone else. Jill: How much did you get for your used car? Jane: Well—between you and me and these four walls—five thousand dollars.

See also: and, bedpost, between

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

between you and me

Also, between ourselves; just between you and me and the bedpost or four walls or gatepost or lamppost . In strict confidence. For example, Just between you and me, it was Janet who proposed to Bill rather than vice versa. This phrase, dating from about 1300, is generally followed by some informative statement that the listener is being asked to keep secret. The variant with bedpost, also shortened to post, dates from the early 1800s; four walls, also shortened to the wall, dates from the early 1900s, as does the gatepost.

See also: and, between

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

between you, me and the bedpost

or

between you, me and the gatepost

If you say that something you say is between you, me and the bedpost or between you, me and the gatepost, you mean that the person you are talking to should not tell anyone else what you have said. Between you, me and the bedpost, I'd say he was completely confused. Between you, me and the gatepost, he'd be better off without her. Note: People also sometimes use fencepost instead of bedpost. That's my opinion, between you, me and the fencepost.

See also: and, bedpost, between

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

between you and me and the bedpost (or the gatepost or the wall)

in strict confidence. informal

The bedpost , gatepost , or wall is seen as marking the boundary beyond which the confidence must not go.

See also: and, bedpost, between

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

between you, me, and the lamppost

and between you, me, and the bedpost

phr. just between you and me. Between you, me, and the lamppost, things are going to get worse before they get better. It’s supposed to be a secret, but between you, me, and the bedpost, he quit his job.

See also: and, between, lamppost

between you, me, and the bedpost

verb

See between you, me, and the lamppost

See also: and, bedpost, between

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

between you and me and the bedpost/gatepost/four walls/lamppost

In strictest confidence. This elaboration of just between you and me is often followed by gossip about someone else. The bedpost version dates from the early nineteenth century and was used by Edward Bulwer-Lytton (Eugene Aram, 1832: “Between you and me and the bedpost, young master has quarrelled with old master”), Dickens, and others. The lamppost version may be a little older, but is not much heard anymore.

See also: and, bedpost, between, four, gatepost, lamppost, wall

The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer