across the ditch en · ADP
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
By analogy with across the pond, and the fact that the Tasman Sea is much smaller than the Atlantic Ocean.
Meanings
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(Australia, New-Zealand, informal) On or to the other side of the Tasman Sea.
The rate of arrivals fluctuates with the relative economic fortunes of each country, but since the late 1960s, faster growth, higher wages, greater job opportunities and a stronger dollar have been an economic magnet drawing New Zealanders across the ditch.
2016, Peter Mares, Not Quite Australian: How Temporary Migration Is Changing the Nation, →ISBN: