friend of Bill W.
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English[edit]
Alternative forms[edit]
Etymology[edit]
An allusion to William Griffith Wilson (1895–1971), known as “Bill W.”, one of the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Pronunciation[edit]
Audio (AU) (file)
Noun[edit]
friend of Bill W. (plural friends of Bill W.)
- (idiomatic, euphemistic) A recovering alcoholic, especially one who is a member of the organization Alcoholics Anonymous.
- 1994 May 31, “Obituary: Middletown BRIAN EDWARD CRAWFORD”, in Providence Journal, USA, page D10:
- He was a friend of Bill W. and had just celebrated Ten Years of Sobriety.
- 2003 February 23, Lynne Margolis, “Delbert McClinton rocks the boat for music lovers”, in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, retrieved July 8, 2011:
- The Sandy Beaches cruise offers Alcoholics Anonymous meetings billed simply as Friends of Bill W.
- 2004, Jack Canfield et al., Chicken Soup for the Recovering Soul,[1], →ISBN, page 49:
- Most people in recovery know that asking if you are a friend of Bill W. is an anonymous way to identify yourself as a member of AA.
Usage notes[edit]
- Because of the stigma attached to alcoholism, and Alcoholics Anonymous' commitment to protecting the identities of its members, the phrase is a furtive shibboleth for individuals to identify themselves as members of Alcoholics Anonymous, or to identify Alcoholics Anonymous meetings on schedules, etc.
- Often used in eulogies and obituaries when the deceased person was a recovering alcoholic.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- “friend of Bill W.”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.