If you have ever heard someone use the term ‘don’t let the bastards get you down’ you may have wondered what they were talking about. We are going to look at what this saying means and how we can use it in conversation as well as where the term came from in the first place.
Don’t Let the Bastards Get You Down
Don’t Let the Bastards Get You Down Meaning
When you hear someone use this term, they are advising the listener not to allow stupid people to upset or bother them.
Origin of the idiomatic phrase
The term ‘don’t let the bastards get you down’ is derived from a Latin phrase ‘illegitimi non carborundum’ which in fact, has no direct translation but is often translated as ‘don’t let the bastards get you down.’
“Don’t Let the Bastards Get You Down” Examples
Example Sentences
You might use this saying when advising someone not to allow the idiotic behaviour of another person to cause you any bother. The word bastard originally meant a fatherless child, or illegitimate child, and the term illegitimate can also mean someone who is stupid, therefore the term can be used whenever an idiotic person is the subject. For example, you might say something along the lines of
- ‘I can see those members of your rival football team are driving you mental but don’t let the bastards get you down.’
You might also use the idiom when talking about someone who is causing you problems at work, you could say something like
- ‘Sonya is really trying to get me fired at work, but I won’t let the bastard get me down.’
Conversation Examples
If you would like to know how the term ‘don’t let the bastards get you down’ might be used in every day conversation, here are some examples of how it would work. In the first conversation, we see someone explaining how despite the silly behaviour of their colleagues, they will not let themselves be annoyed by it. In the second conversation, the people are talking about the bad decision made by the government but they will not allow this to effect their lives.
Conversation 1:
- Person 1: “I am really getting tired of Mick and Emma trying to make me look stupid at work. I am so much better at the job than they are, they are just trying to make themselves look better.”
- Person 2: “Don’t let the bastards get you down.”
Conversation 2:
- Person 1: “This country is going down the drain but the government just don’t seem to be doing anything about it.”
- Person 2: “It’s not worth worrying about, just get on with your life and don’t let the bastards get you down.”
Other Ways to Say the Phrase
If you want to express the meaning of this term using different words, then here are some good examples of how to do it.
- Don’t let the idiots worry you
- Don’t let their behaviour affect your life
Don’t Let the Bastards Get You Down | Image
Last Updated on March 23, 2020