# "I'll fix your wagon!" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 25, 2013, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-fix-your-wagon/669663 "2013-09-25T18:21:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-fix-your-wagon/669663/1 "2013-09-25T18:21:27Z")
“Fixing one’s wagon” seems like a right neighborly thing to do, assuming your neighbor has a wagon that needs fixing. How did this morph into meting someone his comeuppance? . . . My WAG is that “fix” is used in the sense of immobilizing something. ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-fix-your-wagon/669663/2 "2013-09-25T18:36:10Z")
The _Oxford English Dictionary_ defines “to fix (someone’s) wagon” as: > [@](#): > > to bring about (a person’s) downfall, to spoil (his) chances of success. Cf. **fix** v. 14c. U.S. slang. And defines sense 14(c) of “fix” as: > [@](#): > > Orig. and chiefly U.S. to fix (a person): to deal with, settle or ‘do for’ (a person); to kill (a person). **to fix it** : to arrange matters. **any way you can fix it** : whatever you do, contrive as you may. **to fix (another’s) flint** : to settle or ‘do for’ him. Fun fact: the first known author to use “fix (one’s) wagon” in print was Truman Capote, in _Grass Harp_ (1951): > [@](#): > > She said her brother would fix my wagon, which he did; right here at the corner of my mouth I’ve still got a scar where he hit me. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-fix-your-wagon/669663/3 "2013-09-25T19:02:21Z")
Now if you have a wagon, and I have a wagon, and I have a crowbar… ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-fix-your-wagon/669663/4 "2013-09-25T19:06:29Z")
I might fix your election too. ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-fix-your-wagon/669663/5 "2013-09-25T19:18:01Z")
My wagon is ship shape and Bristol fashion, but as long as you’re offering… I could use some help down at the mill. You see, something has out askew on the treadle. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-fix-your-wagon/669663/6 "2013-09-25T19:44:24Z")
Wait, \*\*SiXSwordS \*\*- what’s the matter with the mill? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-fix-your-wagon/669663/7 "2013-09-25T19:49:22Z")
> [@Flywheel](#): > > Fun fact: the first known author to use “fix (one’s) wagon” in print was Truman Capote, in _Grass Harp_ (1951): Martin Abzug(Bella’s husband), _Spearhead_ 1946. “I’ll fix your wagon for talking back.” ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-fix-your-wagon/669663/8 "2013-09-25T19:51:05Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Now if you have a wagon, and I have a wagon, and I have a crowbar… … We’ll go down to the crawdad hole … ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-fix-your-wagon/669663/9 "2013-09-25T20:01:11Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Wait, \*\*SiXSwordS \*\*- what’s the matter with the mill? I think he posted that somebody shouted at a school full of tribbles. ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-fix-your-wagon/669663/10 "2013-09-25T20:20:22Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Wait, \*\*SiXSwordS \*\*- what’s the matter with the mill? Sum’in gon owt 'skew on’t treadle ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-fix-your-wagon/669663/11 "2013-09-25T20:24:59Z")
I bet you didn’t expect the Doper Inquisition. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-fix-your-wagon/669663/12 "2013-09-25T20:29:24Z")
After you fix my wagon are you going to clean my clock? ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-fix-your-wagon/669663/13 "2013-09-25T20:35:19Z")
> [@Peanuthead](#): > > After you fix my wagon are you going to clean my clock? First he has to settle my hash. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-fix-your-wagon/669663/14 "2013-09-25T20:58:29Z")
Don’t mock my smock or I’ll clean your clock. ---
**Author:** ![BMax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bmax/32/4267_2.png) [@BMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMax)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-fix-your-wagon/669663/15 "2013-09-25T21:07:48Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > Don’t mock my smock or I’ll clean your clock. Take ya to the feckin’ cleaners, he will. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-fix-your-wagon/669663/16 "2013-09-25T21:13:46Z")
If you’re going to fix my wagon, I’d appreciate it if you paint it as well. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-fix-your-wagon/669663/17 "2013-09-26T00:58:43Z")
Don’t leave in a huff - I’ll call you a cab. OK, you’re a cab. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-fix-your-wagon/669663/18 "2013-09-26T03:59:16Z")
Nasty Canasta [**fixes Daffy Duck’s little red wagon**](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQZSs-ceITQ). (A trifle loud.) ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-fix-your-wagon/669663/19 "2013-09-26T21:49:18Z")
> **[I'll fix your wagon - phrase meaning and origin](https://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/5/messages/90.html)** > > I'll fix your wagon - the meaning and origin of this phrase > [@](#): > > But it means put a spoke in someone’s wheel or otherwise disable his or her wagon. Stop a person from doing something. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-fix-your-wagon/669663/20 "2013-09-27T05:54:36Z")
> [@Peanuthead](#): > > After you fix my wagon are you going to clean my clock? I’ll clean your clock was one of my father’s favorite threats; he would also threaten to clean someone’s plow. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-fix-your-wagon/669663.md?page=2)