I knew someone whenとは 意味・読み方・使い方

成句

I knew someone when

1. Used upon hearing of a success of an acquaintance, often ironically for minor successes
   • 1915, "Interesting People: Charles Bullard: A Famous Photographer of Cats", in "The American Magazine"

     His friends thought him crazy, as friends always think when a man has an original idea and acts on it. Now, when his friends speak of him they invariably add, "I knew him when—"

   • 1918, Western Electric News

     Of course when your school chum comes in from the old home town you want to send him back a life-long member of the "I-knew-him-when Club." You picture him back home, just a wee bit superior, as befits a friend of the great, holding forth to the boy's at the Sunshine Athletic Club.

   • 1920, George Ade, I Knew Him When--: A Hoosier Fable Dealing with the Happy Days of Away Back Yonder
   • 1971, W. A. Mambert, The Elements of Effective Communication: Idea, Power, Tactics, page 146:

     The classical example of this is the "I knew him when" syndrome. Consider your immediate family. They know you as you really are, if anyone does.

   • 2008, Lisa Tucker, The Cure for Modern Life, page 89:

     "Well, congratulations. On the speech, everything." She stood up straighter and forced a smile. "I can always say I knew him when."