Play the white man
To play the white man is an idiom formerly used in parts of Great Britain, meaning that someone is attempting to be decent and trustworthy in their actions.[1] A similar expression, which originated in the Southern United States in the 20th century, is that's mighty white of you and variations thereof, and they mean "thank you for being fair." Because of its racist connotations, since the mid-to-late 20th century, it has mostly been used ironically when it has been used at all.[2][3][4]
The phrase "It was damn white of him." was uttered by the character Arthur Manning, speaking to Perry Mason, in Erle Stanley Gardner's "The Case of the Dangerous Dowager."[5]
See also
References
- ↑ "Complaint made over Mayor of Erewash's 'racist comment' at council meeting". Nottingham Post. 14 November 2018. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
- ↑ "White". Merriam-Webster online. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ↑ Partridge, Eric (1992). Dictionary of Catch Phrases. Scarborough House. p. 60. ISBN 978-0812885361. Search this book on
- ↑ Oxford English Dictionary, cited at Dave Wilton (18 February 2007). "that's white of you". Wordorigins. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ↑ Grosset and Dunlap edition, 1937, page 177
External links
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