This phrase is commonly said to be a reference to Errol Flynn, the Australian film actor. Edward J. Flynn had not been associated with the phrase 'in like Flynn' prior to the efforts by etymologists to explain it though and no records from the 1940s make any such link. -What happened with that girl yesterday? To be in like Flynn means to be very successful, but with a connotation of taking great advantage of opportunity, being “in’ with the right people, and having your success assured. An Australian playwright (Flynn was born in Australia) even claimed the expression “in like Errol” was current in his country for a time (Alexander Buzo, Rooted, 1973). Such Machiavellian organizers were known as bosses. See other phrases that were coined in the USA. '", Alfred Mason's Clementina, 1901: "His luck for the moment was altogether in. Oh, you're in like Flynn now if the popular girls like you! 'He's vell in,' said my owner, 'very vell in. Flynn was acquitted in February 1943 for the statutory rape of a teenage girl. 2) One is going to have intercourse in a very lucky and speedious manner. Get Keyboard and check your text using a unique Contextual Grammar and Spell Checker. as my burthen. The phrase ‘In Like Flynn’ means that you have been quickly and / or emphatically successful, usually in a romantic context. To be 'in like Flynn' is to be quickly and/or emphatically successful, usually in a sexual or romantic context. To be very successful. Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary, blow (someone or something) to kingdom come, the webmaster's page for free fun content. If the phrase does derive from his name then it appears to have been coined in regard to his all-round flamboyance and fame - which were both considerable by 1942 - rather than specifically his sexual success. For instance, he titled his autobiography - My Wicked, Wicked Ways and also did nothing to dispel the incredible but nonetheless widespread rumours as to the the size of his penis and the number of women who had shared his bed. You got the role! In other words, the pilot is having no more trouble than Errol Flynn has in his cinematic feats.". Most believe it is somehow tied to the actor Errol Flynn, who always portrayed a successful swashbuckler in his movies. You’re in! 'In like Flynn' - was that Errol Flynn? Another possible figure who could plausibly have been the source of the phrase is the political organizer Edward J. Flynn. To be 'in like Flynn' is to be quickly and/or emphatically successful, usually in a sexual or romantic context. of the Day, End-User License Agreement & Privacy Policy. The phrase usually refers to Errol Flynn, an Australian-born actor who was famous for his life of excess, and was acquitted of statutory rape charges. Answer: “I was in like Flynn.”. In like flint. in like Flynn Having gained success or acceptance. There's also an earlier, albeit oblique, reference from 1942 - in The San Francisco Examiner (Sports section): "Answer these questions correctly and your name is Flynn, meaning you're in, provided you have two left feet and the written consent of your parents.". He was a campaign manager for the Democratic party during the 1930s and 40s and was well-known to be highly effective at arranging political successes. Uninstall instructions, Get Ginger to check your grammar and spelling, Phrase To judge from a newspaper reference he turned up from early 1943, the phrase could by then also be shortened to I'm Flynn, meaning “I’m in”. The idiom in like Flynn carries the connotation of being in a state where one will continue to find success. It seems very much more likely that Errol Flynn is the Flynn in question and, although the phrase may have been used before he was at the peak of his celebrity, it became well-known by association with him. To be easily successful, especially concerning sex or romance. Most authorities believe the expression refers to the Australian actor Errol Flynn’s sexual prowess. Flynn was famous for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films and for his flamboyant private life. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. You’re in like Flynn! 3)One has just aquired special position by means of extreme luck. This phrase is commonly said to be a reference to Errol Flynn, the Australian film actor. The phrase ‘In Like Flynn’ means that you have been quickly and / or emphatically successful, usually in a romantic context. The word in had been used with regard to success, good fortune or sexual conquest for some years prior to the 1940s; for example: John Mills' Life Race-Horse, 1854: "The handicapper ... considerately classed me among the middle ones, and awarded 6 st. 12 lb. Although slightly earlier examples of the usage have been found, after 1945 it clearly referred to Errol Flynn. What's the origin of the phrase 'In like Flynn'? Flynn, with some irony, called his autobiography 'You're the Boss', in a reference to the American voting public. Today it is primarily used figuratively, as in the. Having gained success or acceptance. The phrase refers to 20th-century actor Errol Flynn. But still. Oh, you're in like Flynn now if the popular girls like you! There's now some confusion between the two phrases and some use 'In like Flint' as if it were synonymous with 'In like Flynn'. Errol Flynn's particular notoriety as someone especially likely to be 'in' in a sexual sense came about after his trial in 1943, although he was already known as a screen romantic lead. A few nice words, a bit of bubble, and you’re in like Flynn. in like flynn To be very successful very quickly, especially in regard to sex. Get 1)In like flint is a term used to describe when one is in a very favorable position. The earliest known use of the phrase in print is from the Utah newspaper The Orem-Geneva Times, February 1946: Flying in it [a P-47 aircraft] is really luxurious, as the G.I.s say "We're in like Flynn.". It can also refer to sexual success or to both professional and sexual success. `If I thought I could win the leadership election, I would be in like Flynn,' Mr Rudd said. https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/in+like+Flynn. Example of Use: “How was your date with Sue?” Answer: “I was in like Flynn.”. The 1967 James Coburn starred in the film, In Like Flint. In like Flynn means to be immediately successful or to have achieved acceptance. The expression in like Flynn came into use in the American army in the 1940s, though its origin is murky. All of the above might lead us to believe that origin of the phrase 'in like Flynn' is clear. The phrase refers to 20th-century actor Errol Flynn. Barry Popik of the American Dialect Society found an example from 1940, as well as this from the sports section of the San Francisco Examiner of 8 February 1942: “Answer these questions correctly and your name is Flynn, meaning you’re in, provided you have two left feet and the written consent of your parents”. His reputation as a hard-drinking, hell-raising ladies' man was apparently well justified, although it has doubtless been enhanced by his delight in playing up to his image. Example of Use: “How was your date with Sue?”. ", E. Wilson's Twenties, 1923: "Well, did Mr. Wilson get it in tonight?". The slogan ‘In like Flynn’ rose like smoke from the trial and ran laughingly around the globe” (Earl Conrad, Errol Flynn: A Memoir, 1978). As so often though, things aren't quite as tidy as they might first seem. This was a sequel to the 1966 Our Man Flint and presumably the screenwriters, on the lookout for another 'Flint' phrase, opted for a play on 'In like Flynn'. Flynn was famous for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films and for his flamboyant private life. Those citations don't have the sexual connotations that the phrase acquired later. Page and check your text using a unique Contextual Grammar and Spell Checker. The December 1946 edition of American Speech confirms the meaning as being the same as 'living the life of Riley': "In like Flynn, everything is O.K. Copyright 2020 Ginger Software |