--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Delia thought it was as much use as…" description: "\"“Delia thought it was as much use as putting deely-boppers on a crocodile and calling it Miriam”\" — Mhairi McFarlane" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/mhairi-mcfarlane-23243_crocodile_delia-thought-it-was-as-much-use-as-putt_673917.jpg" --- # Delia thought it was as much use as putting deely-boppers… ![“Delia thought it was as much use as putting deely-boppers on a crocodile and calling it Miriam” quote by Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/mhairi-mcfarlane-23243_crocodile_delia-thought-it-was-as-much-use-as-putt_673917.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/mhairi-mcfarlane-23243_crocodile_delia-thought-it-was-as-much-use-as-putt_673917.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/mhairi-mcfarlane-23243_crocodile_delia-thought-it-was-as-much-use-as-putt_673917.jpg) > ““Delia thought it was as much use as putting deely-boppers on a crocodile and calling it Miriam”” [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The line humorously compares a pointless effort to attaching a useless device to a crocodile and naming it, highlighting absurdity. **In simple terms:** Doing something useless is like putting a gadget on a crocodile and calling it a name. Key Takeaway Recognize and avoid futile actions. Themes absurdity humor pointlessness Mood lighthearted ironic Type humorous observational When to use this quote - project management - daily chores - creative brainstorming - team meetings Key Concepts satire ineffectiveness Questions to Reflect On - What tasks feel pointless to you? - How can you redirect effort productively? A Different Perspective Sometimes humor masks deeper frustration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crocodile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crocodile/) ## Related quotes > [Give me a 15-ft. crocodile any day over a bee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bindi-irwin/give-me-a-15-ft-crocodile-any-day-over-a-bee/) [Bindi Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bindi-irwin/) > [“...but now that I know it's possible for a couple of zebras to outsmart a crocodile, life is starting to look up" -Joe”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-weeks/but-now-that-i-know-it-s-possible-for-a-couple-of-zebras-to-outsmart/) [Sarah Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-weeks/) > [Appeasement is feeding the crocodile, hoping he will eat you last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/appeasement-is-feeding-the-crocodile-hoping-he-will-eat-you-last/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Each one hopes that if he feeds the crocodile enough, the crocodile will eat him last. All of them hope that the storm will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/each-one-hopes-that-if-he-feeds-the-crocodile-enough-the-crocodile/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [The crocodile must want to be a crocodile for reasons of the crocodile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-kahn/the-crocodile-must-want-to-be-a-crocodile-for-reasons-of-the-crocodile/) [Louis Kahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-kahn/) > [Probably a crocodile, Id try and convince it to be my best friend then ride on its back and kill people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sykes/probably-a-crocodile-id-try-and-convince-it-to-be-my-best-friend-then/) [Oliver Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-sykes/) > [An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/an-appeaser-is-one-who-feeds-a-crocodile-hoping-it-will-eat-him-last/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [“Look, man, I don’t know who you are, but that crocodile has been terrorizing Long Island for weeks. I take that kind of personal,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/look-man-i-don-t-know-who-you-are-but-that-crocodile-has-been/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Alligator: The crocodile of America, superior in every detail to the crocodile of the effete monarchies of the Old World.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/alligator-the-crocodile-of-america-superior-in-every-detail-to-the/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“Udah, deh... shut up! You nggak usah crocodile tears!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devania-annesya/udah-deh-shut-up-you-nggak-usah-crocodile-tears/) [Devania Annesya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devania-annesya/) > [Is this how you repay my goodness--with badness?” cried the boy. “Of course,” said the crocodile out of the corner of his mouth. “That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/is-this-how-you-repay-my-goodness-with-badness-cried-the-boy-of/) [Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) > [To worship a crocodile is better to worship yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/to-worship-a-crocodile-is-better-to-worship-yourself/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [Appeasement, said Winston Churchill, consists of being nice to a crocodile in the hope that he will eat you last. At the moment, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-naughton/appeasement-said-winston-churchill-consists-of-being-nice-to-a/) [John Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-naughton/) > [I'm obsessed with crocodiles and getting eaten by one. When I hear that someone's been eaten by a crocodile or shark, I just get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/i-m-obsessed-with-crocodiles-and-getting-eaten-by-one-when-i-hear/) [Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/) > [I put a bullet into the back of the crocodiles neck just behind the head, thus killing it. If a crocodile is hit in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-leakey/i-put-a-bullet-into-the-back-of-the-crocodiles-neck-just-behind-the/) [Louis Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-leakey/) ## More by Mhairi McFarlane > [“law that stated you didn't advertise any event you hadn't attended, any place you'd never been, or any band you didn't really listen to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/law-that-stated-you-didn-t-advertise-any-event-you-hadn-t-attended/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“Seems once was enough to infect me. From then on you've been lying dormant, like a virus. Or an incurable chronic condition that flares…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/seems-once-was-enough-to-infect-me-from-then-on-you-ve-been-lying/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“...the life with him you feel like you lost out on, it’s perfect because it’s a fantasy and it’s a fantasy because it’s perfect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/the-life-with-him-you-feel-like-you-lost-out-on-it-s-perfect-because/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“His sadness was almost palpable, like moisture in the air before it rains. Although this was Manchester, it was probably about to rain anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/his-sadness-was-almost-palpable-like-moisture-in-the-air-before-it/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“...I think you’re bound to feel guilty, and you’re going to feel sad. You have to simply feel it. Don’t hate yourself. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/i-think-you-re-bound-to-feel-guilty-and-you-re-going-to-feel-sad-you/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“Do nothing, and nothing happens. Life is about decisions. You either make them or they're made for you, but you can't avoid them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/do-nothing-and-nothing-happens-life-is-about-decisions-you-either/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“I wanted him to be happy and it was also going to be the thing that hurt the most”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/i-wanted-him-to-be-happy-and-it-was-also-going-to-be-the-thing-that/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“Men like fun much more than they like clever”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/men-like-fun-much-more-than-they-like-clever/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“I thought it would all fall into place. I've changed my mind. Do nothing, and nothing happens. Life is about decisions. You either make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/i-thought-it-would-all-fall-into-place-i-ve-changed-my-mind-do/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“I like the city late at night, the blasts of music and the splashes of light cast from bars that are still open, shoals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/i-like-the-city-late-at-night-the-blasts-of-music-and-the-splashes-of/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“London was one of the worst places to have a bad day and one of the best places to have a good day”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/london-was-one-of-the-worst-places-to-have-a-bad-day-and-one-of-the/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“I was right I couldn't fall in love with you. Because I never fell out of love with you." -Ben”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/i-was-right-i-couldn-t-fall-in-love-with-you-because-i-never-fell-out/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“Refusal to listen isn’t enough of a response.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/refusal-to-listen-isn-t-enough-of-a-response/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“It's pathetic, I knew I did from that first moment we met. It was...not love at first sight exactly, but - familiarity. Like: oh,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/it-s-pathetic-i-knew-i-did-from-that-first-moment-we-met-it-was-not/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“Isn't it weird how we make big decisions in life based on the strangest, most random things?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/isn-t-it-weird-how-we-make-big-decisions-in-life-based-on-the/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) [Explore all 25 Mhairi McFarlane quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) ## More Crocodile quotes > [See you later, alligator. After a while, crocodile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-haley/see-you-later-alligator-after-a-while-crocodile/) [Bill Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-haley/) > [Give me a 15-ft. crocodile any day over a bee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bindi-irwin/give-me-a-15-ft-crocodile-any-day-over-a-bee/) [Bindi Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bindi-irwin/) > [I've never been impressed by somebody who came in with a crocodile bag, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lindbergh/i-ve-never-been-impressed-by-somebody-who-came-in-with-a-crocodile/) [Peter Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lindbergh/) > [I'm obsessed with crocodiles and getting eaten by one. When I hear that someone's been eaten by a crocodile or shark, I just get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/i-m-obsessed-with-crocodiles-and-getting-eaten-by-one-when-i-hear/) [Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/) > [“Be quick to resolve conflicts before they mature to become wars. The energetic crocodile was once a delicate egg!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/be-quick-to-resolve-conflicts-before-they-mature-to-become-wars-the/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Curled up at the base of the scales, fast asleep, was the oddest monster I'd seen yet. It had the head of crocodile with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/curled-up-at-the-base-of-the-scales-fast-asleep-was-the-oddest/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“Then I’ll go keep our crocodile friends busy.” Niten’s teeth flashed in a smile. “I’ll try to leave a few for you.” He stepped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott/then-i-ll-go-keep-our-crocodile-friends-busy-niten-s-teeth-flashed-in/) [Michael Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott/) > [Appeasement, said Winston Churchill, consists of being nice to a crocodile in the hope that he will eat you last. At the moment, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-naughton/appeasement-said-winston-churchill-consists-of-being-nice-to-a/) [John Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-naughton/) > [To worship a crocodile is better to worship yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/to-worship-a-crocodile-is-better-to-worship-yourself/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [Is this how you repay my goodness--with badness?” cried the boy. “Of course,” said the crocodile out of the corner of his mouth. “That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/is-this-how-you-repay-my-goodness-with-badness-cried-the-boy-of/) [Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) > [Every day, I live a lie But not the crocodile kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/every-day-i-live-a-lie-but-not-the-crocodile-kind/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [“How different this world to the one about which I used to read, and in which I used to live! This is one peopled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wirt-gerrare/how-different-this-world-to-the-one-about-which-i-used-to-read-and-in/) Wirt Gerrare > [You look at any poetic creature: muslin, ether, demigoddess, millions of delights; then you look into the soul and find the most ordinary crocodile!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/you-look-at-any-poetic-creature-muslin-ether-demigoddess-millions-of/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [“Udah, deh... shut up! You nggak usah crocodile tears!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devania-annesya/udah-deh-shut-up-you-nggak-usah-crocodile-tears/) [Devania Annesya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devania-annesya/) > [Statistically there's only one crocodile-related human fatality per year in the whole of Australia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-irwin/statistically-there-s-only-one-crocodile-related-human-fatality-per/) [Steve Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-irwin/) [Browse all 73 Crocodile quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crocodile/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Delia thought it was as much use as putting deely-boppers on a crocodile and calling it Miriam”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mhairi McFarlane" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/delia-thought-it-was-as-much-use-as-putting-deely-boppers-on-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Crocodile" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/delia-thought-it-was-as-much-use-as-putting-deely-boppers-on-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/mhairi-mcfarlane-23243_crocodile_delia-thought-it-was-as-much-use-as-putt_673917.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/mhairi-mcfarlane-23243_crocodile_delia-thought-it-was-as-much-use-as-putt_673917.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/mhairi-mcfarlane-23243_crocodile_delia-thought-it-was-as-much-use-as-putt_673917.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Delia thought it was as much use as putting deely-boppers on a crocodile and calling it Miriam” — Mhairi McFarlane", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Mhairi McFarlane", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Delia thought it was as much...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/delia-thought-it-was-as-much-use-as-putting-deely-boppers-on-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/delia-thought-it-was-as-much-use-as-putting-deely-boppers-on-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```