I’ve been reading The Honourable Schoolboy by John Le Carré and the following extract confused me:
“Are you English?” she asked on the way.
“Pips, core, the lot,” Jerry snorted furiously, which was the first time he saw her smile.Is “Pips, core, the lot” a common phrase? And what does “pips” mean anyway? My dictionary tells me it means “seeds”. Would that be correct? Thanks!
Answer
pip (n.1) etymonline
“seed of an apple,” 1797, shortened form of pipin “seed of a fleshy fruit” (early 14c.), from Old French pepin (13c.), probably from a root *pipp-, expressing smallness (compare Italian pippolo, Spanish pepita “seed, kernel”).
He was the whole apple. In other words, he was British to the core!
Attribution
Source : Link , Question Author : David , Answer Author : lbf
