# bash the bishop

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/bash-the-bishop
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To masturbate by stimulating one's penis.

## Examples

- He went to his room to bash the bishop.
- The teenager was embarrassed when his mother walked in while he was bashing the bishop.
- After his roommate finally left for the weekend, he felt relieved to have enough privacy to bash the bishop without being interrupted.
- Finding himself alone in the house for the afternoon, he retreated to the privacy of his bedroom to bash the bishop.

## Origin

The origin of the phrase remains uncertain. Goldman suggested in 1950 that the variant "beat the bishop" was inspired by a perceived resemblance between the penis and a bishop’s mitre. In 1970, the lexicographer Partridge offered a similar anatomical comparison, though he preferred the silhouette of the Staunton bishop chess piece as the likely visual reference. A different theory, supported by Green, posits that the expression arose from simple wordplay rather than a visual likeness. Under this view, the assonance of "bishop" with verbs such as "bash," "beat," or "bop" provided the primary motivation for the term's construction. (disputed)

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.