# go all around the Wrekin

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/go-all-around-the-wrekin
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Take a long time to arrive.

## Examples

- Don't go all around the Wrekin; just tell me the answer.
- If you want to reach the station quickly, do not go all around the Wrekin with your explanation of the route.
- Rather than going all around the Wrekin with unnecessary details, the witness finally provided a direct account of the events that transpired that evening.

## Origin

The idiom derives from the Wrekin, a prominent hill located in Shropshire. The phrase likely references the scale of the landmark, which dominates the local landscape and requires a significant detour to circumnavigate.

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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.