Phrases & SayingsSport and recreation
leave the porch light on for Harold Holt
To hold out hope for a highly unlikely outcome.
In a sentence
Waiting for that comeback was like leaving the porch light on for Harold Holt.
Where it came from
Alludes to prime minister Harold Holt’s 1967 disappearance and the forlorn hope that he might return. The ANDC traces the expression to rugby league coach Jack Gibson in 1988; it later broadened beyond sport.
- Initial era
- 1950–1999
- Where used
- Australia-wide
- Use today
- Current but uncommon and allusive