phrase
General Slang
beyond the black stump
bee-YOND thuh BLAK STUMP · phrase · informal
Far from civilisation.
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Definitions
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An imaginary point beyond which the country is remote and uncivilised.
“You'd have to go beyond the black stump to find quieter camping.”
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beyond the black stump In A Sentence
You'd have to go beyond the black stump to find quieter camping.
Origin & Usage
Australian idiom referencing a charred tree stump used as a landmark.
Variants
the black stump
People Also Ask
What does 'beyond the black stump' mean?
It refers to an imaginary point past which the country is remote and uncivilised; anything 'beyond the black stump' is a very long way from anywhere.
Where does 'beyond the black stump' come from?
The idiom references a charred tree stump used as a real or notional landmark, marking the boundary of the known, settled country in the Australian bush.
Is there a real black stump?
Several towns claim to have the original black stump, but the phrase is essentially a folkloric marker for the edge of civilisation rather than one fixed spot.
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