in an interesting condition
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Said of a woman who. is expecting to become a mother. The phrase came into use in the 18th century.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “in an interesting condition” mean?
Said of a woman who. is expecting to become a mother. The phrase came into use in the 18th century.
Is “in an interesting condition” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.