up the spout
up the spout
slang Pregnant. You two have only been married for a couple of months, I can't believe you're up the spout already! I was pretty wild during my university years, which is how I found myself up the spout at 22.
See also: spout, up
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
up the spout
BRITISH, INFORMAL1. If something is up the spout, it is completely ruined. The money's disappeared, so has he, and the whole scheme's up the spout. The economy's up the spout.
2. If a woman is up the spout, she is pregnant. Her daughter is up the spout again. Note: This is usually used when the pregnancy is a problem rather than a good thing. Note: Originally, this expression was used to refer to items which had been pawned (= given to someone in return for a loan of money). The `spout' was the lift in which an item was taken from the pawnbroker's shop to the storeroom above.
See also: spout, up
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
up the spout
1 no longer working or likely to be useful or successful. 2 (of a woman) pregnant. British informalSee also: spout, up
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
up the spout
Chiefly British Slang1. Pawned.
2. In difficulty.
3. Pregnant.
See also: spout, up
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
- be up the spout
- be/go up the spout
- spout
- duff
- be up the duff
- be up the pole
- be up the stick
- great with child
- oven
- shoot blanks