to stand on one's own legs
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Jo be independ- ent, to be earning one's own living. Of course, the allusion is to being nursed, and standing "alone.
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 “to stand on one's own legs” mean?
Jo be independ- ent, to be earning one's own living. Of course, the allusion is to being nursed, and standing "alone.
Is “to stand on one's own legs” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.