famous last words

A satirical rejoinder to what the speaker considers a fatuous remark or easily refuted statement. The expression alludes to the so- called famous last words of history—for example, “this is the war to end all wars,” or “it [meaning some calamity] could never happen here.” Its exact ori- gin is not known, but Eric Partridge believed it began in the armed services during World War II, first in Britain. After the war it crossed the Atlantic. It now is applied to just about any situation, even as a self-deprecating comment on one’s own remark (“That’s the last time I strike out—famous last words”).