thank-you-ma'am
noun phrase

- a bump or depression in a road that jars a person riding over it

Collins Dictionary

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WORD ORIGIN

The phrase "thank you ma'am" referring to a bump or depression in a road probably originated from the practice of politeness in the Southern United States where honorifics like "sir" and "ma'am” are a cultural norm.

The phrase may have came from carriage riders verbally noting bumps in the road by sarcastically thanking them as if they were a person.

The Oxford English Dictionary suggests this term was inspired by the fact that hitting one of these obstructions "causes persons passing over it in a vehicle to nod the head involuntarily, as if in acknowledgment of a favour.”

Thank-you-ma'am in this sense has been around since at least 1849. Oliver Wendell Holmes used it nicely in The Guardian Angel: "Life's a road that's got a good many thank-you-ma'am's to go bumpin' over.”  

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THE MOST DANGEROUS ROAD IN THE WORLD

Next time we complain about poor road conditions in Europe its worth thinking about the North Yungas Road in Bolivia, also known as "Death Road" or "Camino a los Yungas." This road has claimed the lives of many travellers, with estimates suggesting that 200-300 people die on this road each year.

The 3 metres wide road was constructed in the 1930's by locals to aid deliveries between the high and lowlands. Poor visibility, high altitude, and sharp turns make it extremely treacherous to navigate.

Despite its dangers, the North Yungas Road is a popular destination for thrill-seeking tourists, particularly mountain bikers who travel the route to experience its breathtaking views and perilous path.

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SYNONYMS

belly-tickler, bump, cavity, chasm, crater, depression, dent, dimple, ditch, fissure, gouge, highway hump, hole, hollow, indentation, irregularities, pit, ripple, rut, sinkhole, sleeping policeman, speed bump, THANK YOU, MA'AM, tickle bump, trench, undulation, wrinkle

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SMUGGLE OWAD into a conversation:

Next time the vehicle you’re riding in hits a road bump, loudly exclaim “thank-you-ma'am!” and observe the reaction of any fellow travellers :-)

...and have a great weekend ahead!

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