another county heard from

1. An unexpected person has spoken up or arrived on the scene, as in Jane's cousin from California decided to contest the will—another county heard from. This idiom originally alluded to the counting of returns on election night; it appears in that context in Clifford Odets's play, Awake and Sing (1931). However, it may echo the much older phrase, another Richmond in the field, alluding to Henry of Richmond (later Henry VII of England), chronicled in Shakespeare's Richard III (5:4): “I think there be six Richmonds in the field; five have I slain today.” Whatever the origin, today it simply refers to an unforeseen participant or attender.

Example Sentences

“Another county heard from. Are we going to operate or aren’t we?”

From Literature

“Another county heard from,” complained the first doctor sarcastically.

From Literature

“Another county heard from,” scoffed one of the doctors indignantly.

From Literature

“Another county heard from,” said a doctor.

From Literature

“Another county heard from!” snapped Judson, as old Steve Siebert came forward.

From Project Gutenberg