The first time that I heard it, was in the movie Rio Lobo (my favorite John Wayne movie). An old rancher (who was played by Jack Elam) uttered that phrase.
Favorite farm life sayings
- Thread starter Melancholy Bear
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Oz_Kioti
Silver Member
A shoddy repair: Close enough for a government job!
HawkinsHollow
Veteran Member
If it was a snake it would have bit ya!!! Said in the thickest southern accent you can muster.
rontaki
Gold Member
Or, horseshoes and hand grenades
ponytug
Super Member
My grandfather used to say that about repairs, but with time, I came to understand that in his time, the government had so many specifications, that a job done to well enough for a government job was done with care, dotting "i"s, and crossing "t"s. I never heard him use it about a sloppy job, just jobs done with care. He did work for the government for a bit, which may have influenced his use of the phrase.
I know that most folks use it today in the sloppy meaning. Idioms do shift.
Good enough for government work and close enough for government work
Good enough for government work and close enough for government work are two versions of an idiom with an interesting evolution. We will examine the meaning of the idiom good enough for government work or
grammarist.com
All the best,
Peter
David in KY
Silver Member
"I'm busier than a one-legged man in a butt kickin' contest."
repete
Veteran Member
He has a burr up his A-- about something or another.
rontaki
Gold Member
Or as I sometimes say, The aliens forgot to remove the probe.
masseyrider
Veteran Member
Me and your Ma didn't bring you into this world to watch you sleep.