A bunch of fives

Definitions

• physical assault
  To describe a situation where someone is using their fists to attack or strike another person, usually in a violent or aggressive manner.

• a handful of something
  To refer to a small, compact group or collection of items, usually in a positive or neutral sense. Can also be used to describe a group of people who are closely related or work well together.

Examples of A bunch of fives

• She hit a bunch of fives in the bowling alley.

  This idiom is used to describe someone who consistently performs poorly or achieves mediocre results. In this case, "a bunch of fives" refers to repeatedly bowling a score of five, which is the lowest possible score in bowling.

• The team's performance in the first half was a bunch of fives.

  This idiom can also be used to describe a group's overall performance as being poor or mediocre. In this case, "a bunch of fives" refers to the team's score being consistently low, indicating a poor performance.

• His sales figures have been a bunch of fives for the past quarter.

  This idiom can also be used to describe someone's professional performance as being poor or mediocre. In this case, "a bunch of fives" refers to consistently low sales figures, indicating a poor performance.

• The restaurant's new menu has been a bunch of fives since it was introduced.

  This idiom can also be used to describe a product or service's performance as being poor or mediocre. In this case, "a bunch of fives" refers to consistently low customer satisfaction ratings, indicating a poor performance.

• After the game, the coach told the team they needed to stop playing a bunch of fives.

  This idiom can also be used to express the need for improvement or to avoid poor performance. In this case, "a bunch of fives" refers to consistently poor performance, and the coach is urging the team to stop exhibiting this behavior and improve their performance.

Conclusion

The idiom "a bunch of fives" can have two distinct meanings, depending on the context in which it is used. The first meaning refers to physical assault and is often used to describe a physical altercation between two people. The second meaning is more neutral and can be used to describe a small, compact group or collection of items.

In the first usage, "a bunch of fives" is a vivid and somewhat humorous way of describing a physical attack using fists. The imagery of a bunch of five fingers, clenched into a fist, is used to convey the idea of a powerful and potentially violent strike. This meaning of the idiom is often used in a negative sense, to describe a situation where someone is being aggressive or violent towards another person.

In the second usage, "a bunch of fives" is used to describe a small group or collection of items. This can refer to a handful of something, or a compact group that is closely related or works well together. This meaning of the idiom is more neutral and can be used in a positive sense to describe a group of people who are closely connected or work well together.

Origin of "A bunch of fives"

The origin of the idiom "a bunch of fives" is believed to come from boxing or fighting. The term "fives" was used in the 19th century to refer to a fist, as it was thought that a person's fist was made up of five fingers. Therefore, a "bunch of fives" would refer to using one's fists to strike or attack someone.

The idiom was first recorded in the early 19th century in a book of British slang, where it was described as a "pugilistic phrase" meaning a "blow with the fist." It is thought that the idiom became popular due to its catchy and memorable use of alliteration, with the words "bunch" and "fives" both starting with the letter "b."

Over time, the idiom has evolved to also take on a more neutral meaning, referring to a small group or collection of items. This could be due to the fact that the phrase is easy to understand and can be applied to various situations, making it a versatile and commonly used idiom in modern English.