Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

darby and joan

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.11 in modern English

Syllables: dar-by and joan
IPA

26

Scrabble Score

12

Letters

2

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A proverbial married couple content to share a quiet life of mutual devotion.

Example Sentences

""[…] he told me that he and your mother, when they travel together, are always mistaken for a honeymoon couple. Some of the experiences he related to me were really quite amusing." The stranger laughed at recollection of them—"that even here in this place, they are generally referred to as 'Darby and Joan.'""
"The house where the Batesons had lived—a dear old couple, a pleasantly tottering, Darby and Joan pair, always ready to welcome little Miss Vane and give her strawberries and seedy-cake."

Etymology

John Darby and his wife Joan were first mentioned in print in a poem published in The Gentleman's Magazine by Henry Woodfall in 1735.

Questions

What does darby and joan mean?: A proverbial married couple content to share a quiet life of mutual devotion.
Where does darby and joan come from?: John Darby and his wife Joan were first mentioned in print in a poem published in The Gentleman's Magazine by Henry Woodfall in 1735.

How to pronounce darby and joan

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