1870s
Still common
Definition
Means "I'm not naive or gullible" — the Aussie equivalent of "I wasn't born yesterday."
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Where "I Didn't Come Down in the Last Shower" Comes From
It's actually shared Australian and New Zealand slang: the earliest known citation is from New Zealand's "Otago Witness" in 1877, with an Australian version turning up the very next year in the "Burrangong Argus."
The image is of a raindrop that's only just fallen, versus someone who's been around long enough to know better.
Example Sentence
Nice try, but I didn't come down in the last shower.
How Aussies Actually Use It
Said to shut down an attempt to deceive, flatter, or con someone — a firm, good-humoured warning that the trick's been spotted.
Works equally as a boast about your own street smarts or a warning aimed at someone else's.
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