I'm from Missouri.

Question

Is this idiom commonly used in English?What does it exactly mean?

Madhulk · Accepted Answer

Hi, SJD87! I'm extremely happy to welcome you here at the English Forums!
Your idiom means that you don't believe something
and you need proof for it in order to believe it. And I'm not sure whether it's common or not
but it dates from about 1880.

Philip · Answer

Madhulk Hi, SJD87! I'm extremely happy to welcome you here at the English Forums!

Your idiom means that you don't believe something

and you need proof for it in order to believe it.And I'm not whether it's common or not

but it dates from about 1880.

It's not terribly common, but older people (ahem!) are aware of the reference to being stubborn as a mule, and that Missourians need extra proof.

BarbaraPA · Answer

Missouri is called the "Show me" state.

I found this interesting: http://www.netstate.com/states/intro/mo_intro.htm

Clive · Answer

Hi,
I may be stating the obvious, but I don't think this saying is likely to be common outside the United States.

As an aside, I wonder what people who live in Missouri say when they want to express scepticism.

Clive

Kooyeen · Answer

Here (in Italy), we say "someone is like Saint Thomas", maybe you say "someone is a doubting Thomas"? I found "doubting Thomas" in my dictionary. <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/>

CalifJim · Answer

SJD87Is this idiom commonly used in English?

No.

SJD87What does it exactly mean?

Show me! Prove it!

CJ

SJD87 · Answer

Thank you very much.

I'm from Missouri.

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