3 O'clocksies

[fiftyplus]

Everyone has heard of elevensies but has anyone heard of three o'clocksies - the afternoon equivalent?

[bimbim]

I have now!

[Quizmonster]

The mid-morning snack is usually called 'elevenses', without an 'i', in my experience. On that basis, 'threeses' - though probably not 'three o'clocksies! - has certainly been used to mean a mid-afternoon snack. You can find one by clicking here.

[fredpuli47]

And the French have 'le five o'clock' for afternoon tea .An odd example of the French use of English, this must have been the hour that the English gentry, the only English they'd meet, took tea in France.

[butterflies]

Fred, never heard of 'le 5 o'clock' over here. They do have 'le quatre heures' though.
When I worked in England we had a 10 o'clock and a 3 o'clock, couldn't wait till 11.

[dundurn]

I've heard of "les petits five o'clocks" especially with Petit Ecolier biscuits, little slabs of very tasty chocolate with a biscuit backing.

[fiftyplus]

thanks for that everyone

[rescuer]

I have a tape of songs of the 1920s, 1930, and 1940s. Amongst the songs is "Everything Stops for Tea" performed by Jack Buchanan who, I understand was a well-known actor and singer in the 1930s. In this case everything stopped at 4 o'clock for tea.

[fredpuli47]

butterflies, you're too young ! 'Le five o'clock' was standard French for afternoon tea but is now used only humorously. It's an old example of English in French, like ' le(s) water(s)' for the loo(s). Loo is itself from French (lieu d'aisance).This subject is already complicated enough :)