No Great Shakes
Definition: Nothing special; ordinary.
Origins: This term stirs from the early 19th century, standing tall amongst tales as stalwart as sailors shaking casks (dismantling and finding little worth in the “shakes” or staves), and gambling gone wrong with a feeble flick of dice. However the dice is cast, by about 1800, mediocrity was neatly summed up as “no great shakes.”
Earliest Use: “I’m no great shakes at braggin” – John Neal, Brother Jonathan, 1825. (That’s one honest chap!)
Synonyms:
- Middling
- Average
- Run-of-the-mill
- So-so
- Mediocre
Antonyms:
- Exceptional
- Extraordinary
- First-rate
- Top-notch
- Superb
Humor-Filled Quotes:
- “I’m no great shakes at flying, but I’d rather fail at greatness than succeed in mediocrity!” 🛩️
Related Proverbs and Expressions:
- “Jack of all trades, master of none” 🎭
- “The bar is set low” 💡
- “Middle-of-the-road” 🚗
- “Par for the course” ⛳
Literature:
- The Average American: The Extraordinary Search for the Nation’s Most Ordinary Citizen by Kevin O’Keefe
- Mediocrity by David Soyka
Music:
- “So-So” by Charlotte Cardin
- “Average” by Britney Spears
Film:
- Joe Average (Fictitious film title; imagine the charm!)
- Ordinary People (Not so ordinary, in fact an Oscar-winner!)
Poetry:
- Whimsy line: Oh the joy of being so-so, ’tis hardly enough to make one crow.
Quizzes
Authored by Anna Wordsmith, who always strives for extraordinary even while penning the oft-ordinary. Keep chasing excellence, and remember, even the exceptional was once ordinary in disguise.
