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refer someone to the reply given in Arkell v Pressdram. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
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English
Etymology
Coined in 1971 from an incident in which Pressdram, publisher of Private Eye magazine, received a legal letter from a Mr Arkell. Pressdram's reply stated:
We note that Mr Arkell's attitude to damages will be governed by the nature of our reply and would therefore be grateful if you would inform us what his attitude to damages would be, were he to learn that the nature of our reply is as follows: fuck off.
The phrase is written as a pseudo-legal citation, as if Arkell v Pressdram were a real court case, although the proceedings never actually made it to court.
Verb
refer someone to the reply given in Arkell v Pressdram (third-person singular simple present refers someone to the reply given in Arkell v Pressdram, present participle referring someone to the reply given in Arkell v Pressdram, simple past and past participle referred someone to the reply given in Arkell v Pressdram)
- (UK, humorous, euphemistic) To tell someone to fuck off.
2015 February 3, skipweasel, “Unhelpful councilfolk”, in uk.rec.sheds (Usenet):I'd be tempted to refer them to the reply given in Arkell vs Pressdram.
2016 October 31, Mike Tomlinson, “My post was "discarded" - why?”, in uk.net.news.moderation (Usenet):Go on then, fatso. May I first refer you to the reply given in Arkell vs Pressdram
2020 February 28, Elise Noble, Demented: A Paranormal Romantic Suspense Novel, Undercover Publishing Limited, →ISBN:Greg Tillis mentioned that he'd once tried to barter dessert privileges in exchange for her cooperation, and she referred him to the response in Arkell versus Pressdram.
2021 November 19, The Chatterer, “Downing Street wants you to know it’s not suing over PM marriage trouble claims…”, in New Statesman:One can picture Kelly responding in the style of hard-bitten newspaper hacks of old: “see you in court”. Or perhaps even referring the caller to the reply given in Arkell v Pressdram.