English Explanatory Dictionary

always a bridesmaid, never a bride

English dictionary entry

Meanings

phrase
  1. Said of a person who has potential that is never fulfilled.
  2. Said of a woman who has (presumedly) acted as bridesmaid at weddings but has not yet married.

Word forms

always a bridesmaid, never a bride always the bridesmaid, never the bride

Etymology

Title of an English music-hall song (1917) by Charles Collins. Later used in an advertisement in the US for Listerine mouthwash (implying that the use of mouthwash could improve a woman's chances of marriage).

Related words

Susan Lucci
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