2006-10-12 05:33:56 · 13 answers · asked by gwapings 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
It's a Russian idiom meaning "you almost got it, but you didn't get it close enough to hit it on the head." For instance, you have to guess a girl's name. You guess "Jill". Her name is Jillian. Close, but no cigar.
2006-10-12 05:56:03 · answer #1 · answered by ? 3 · 3⤊ 2⤋
Close But No Cigar Meaning
2016-09-29 22:27:01 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Fall just short of a successful outcome and get nothing for your efforts.
In the 1930's or so, booths at fairgrounds gave out cigars as prizes. This seems like it may be the source, and it is about the same time the saying become heard. The phrase was being used in the news from about 1949 and on.
2006-10-12 05:43:52 · answer #3 · answered by ewema 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Cigars were considered Celebratory - do if you won you got a cigar. This phrase means you almost won but didn't make to the point where you would get the celebratory cigar.
Check out - http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/close_but_no_cigar
for more details
2006-10-12 05:43:05 · answer #4 · answered by ~Dee~ 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This Site Might Help You.
RE:
what does the phrase "close but no cigar" mean?
2015-08-13 00:27:15 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When a baby is born, a ciggar is offerd to the father as a last smoke, because smokeing in a house with a baby can be hazzardous to the infant`s health. "close but no cigar" can mean that you where so close to conceve something wonderful, beneficial etc., but you`ve failled. that`s my opinion.
2006-10-12 05:57:45 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Cigars were once prizes offered at fairs, carnivals, etc. That's what you would be told if you almost won a prize.
2006-10-12 05:38:14 · answer #7 · answered by Eldude 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means that you were close but didn't quite make it.
2006-10-12 05:41:56 · answer #8 · answered by pillabrut 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
IT MEANS YOU WERE CLOSE BUT DIDN'T QUITE FINISH FIRST. YOUR ANSWER WAS OK BUT NOT TOTALLY RIGHT. SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.
2006-10-12 05:42:34 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means "Proximate, but no panatela"
2006-10-12 05:41:21 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋