Street voices
Hugues
·
United States
"Why the long face? Something you ask someone who is visibly upset to ask them what's wrong. Good morning, Darryl. Eh, good morning. Hey, why the long face? Something happen?"
What it means
A light, slightly cheeky way to ask someone why they look sad, upset, or off. It sounds jokey on the surface, but loads of the time it is really just a soft check in. The phrase has been around for ages and still works because it opens the door without coming in too heavy.
Usage examples
"You been quiet all morning, man. Why the long face? Did your boss go feral again or did the coffee betray you?"
"You have been staring at your phone all dinner, so come on, why the long face, did something happen at work today?"
Where it comes from
Leans on a gentle pun, since a horse literally has a long face and a glum person looks like they are pulling one. That old joke softened into a kind way to ask what is wrong.
Editors of this term
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