lamppost

between you, 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, me, and the lamppost, I hear that they're going to lay off half the staff by the end of the week.

See also: and, between, lamppost

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

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 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