# up goes the donkey

> English word · Phrase

## Definitions
1. The performance begins.

## Etymology
Said to have originated from a travelling showman whose finale involved the hoisting of a donkey on a pole or ladder.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/up-goes-the-donkey