nine tailors make a man

nine tailors make a man

1. A phrase spoken after the custom of ringing church bells for a deceased male. The number of times the bells rang traditionally indicated the deceased person's sex, with a male receiving nine "tellers," or tolls, of the bell. A: "Did you hear the bells ringing?" B: "I did. Nine tailors make a man."
2. The phrase was also used to mock tailors as frail and ineffectual, in comparison to the average man. You will certainly best him in a duel. He's a tailor, after all, and nine tailors make a man!
See also: make, man, nine, tailor
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • wear the cap and bells
  • hell's bells
  • Hell's bells!
  • hell's bells and buckets of blood
  • Hell’s bells and buckets of blood!
  • set alarm bells ringing
  • ring with
  • warning bells start ringing
  • alarm bells start ringing
  • here lies (someone)