Bog standard

This phrase meaning basic standard with no frills is of British origin and has been prolifically used since the 1980s but no one is quite sure of its origin. Because it is sometimes used with derogative undertones, it is thought that it might come from “bog-Irish” an insulting term for Irish people of low class. Another theory is that it is a corruption or misapplication of “box standard”, a phrase that originated in the motor industry during the 1950s for an “out-of-the-box standard” model with no frills. The debate continues. See also Out of the box.