# Brit Dopers: What's a ponce **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 4, 2004, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dopers-whats-a-ponce/238234 "2004-04-04T21:12:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2004, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dopers-whats-a-ponce/238234/1 "2004-04-04T21:12:41Z")
My boss and his boss are from the U.K. and we have some other U.K. co-workers over this week. While drinking friday one of the guys said that the other was such a ponce. [www.dictionary.com](http://www.dictionary.com) says that this means “pimp.” But that doesn’t fit the context. What was he trying to say. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2004, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dopers-whats-a-ponce/238234/2 "2004-04-04T21:17:47Z")
A gay man. Slightly derogatory - not as much as ‘fag’ in America. Also a verb, I guess ‘mincing’ would be synonymous. And an adjective, again derogatory, typically meaning ‘wimpish’. ---
**Author:** ![Bojangles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@Bojangles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bojangles)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2004, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dopers-whats-a-ponce/238234/3 "2004-04-04T21:20:06Z")
As with so many slang expressions it’s both subjective and context relative. Ponce - if I were to use it in reference to you, would mean you were being any or all of the following: Fussy Prissy Stupid (not dumb but acting stupid) Vain Difficult (as in - stop poncing about) Cowardly Effeminate or of course it might be short for: Perfumed Ponce, which means you are starring in what just might be the greatest British film ever… ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2004, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dopers-whats-a-ponce/238234/4 "2004-04-04T22:18:26Z")
I had to scrub them with essence of Petunia. ---
**Author:** ![unclviny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e274bd/32.png) [@unclviny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unclviny)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dopers-whats-a-ponce/238234/5 "2004-04-05T03:26:58Z")
Ok, what is an “Anorak”, I gather that it is used to describe “the average, Joe six pack guy” but I have never been sure. Unclviny ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dopers-whats-a-ponce/238234/6 "2004-04-05T03:37:42Z")
“anorak”: [der. from _Trainspotting_. 1) The 3/4-length coat, often made of a machine-washable polyester/cotton blend, typically with hand-warmer pockets in the front, a zipper, and often a drawstring around the waist, and may be either with or without a hood – famously associated with British _trainspotters_; 2) the usually British nerd/geek type who recreationally loiters near train stations or train tracks, pen and notebook in hand, jotting down numbers of trains that pass by. (For similarly oddball recreators, see also _planespotter_, _license-plate collector_, and _birdwatcher_.) Oh, and one more thing… PERFUMED BLOODY PONCE! I CALLED HIM A PONCE, AND I’M CALLING YOU ONE, TOO! PONCE!!!.. I’LL BURY THE TWO O’ YERS!!! Gee, I hope our inquisitive friend doesn’t have a bloody heart condition… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dopers-whats-a-ponce/238234/7 "2004-04-05T03:43:10Z")
A correction to the above: the anorak just hangs down to the level of one’s ass, but it should cover that ass (perhaps because the trainspotter’s ass is flabby?). So, call it a 2/3 length or ass-length coat. Bloody ponce. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dopers-whats-a-ponce/238234/8 "2004-04-05T03:44:23Z")
> [@The Scrivener](#): > > PERFUMED BLOODY PONCE! I CALLED HIM A PONCE, AND I’M CALLING YOU ONE, TOO! PONCE!!!.. I’LL BURY THE TWO O’ YERS!!! > > Gee, I hope our inquisitive friend doesn’t have a bloody heart condition… I am currently reading Glue by Irvine Welsh. Bloody uncouth those Scottish buggers are. No Scottish blokes should take offence, I married someone straight out of a Irvine Welsh novel! ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dopers-whats-a-ponce/238234/9 "2004-04-05T03:46:31Z")
> [@The Scrivener](#): > > A correction to the above: the anorak just hangs down to the level of one’s ass, but it should cover that ass (perhaps because the trainspotter’s ass is flabby?). So, call it a 2/3 length or ass-length coat. > > Bloody ponce. 😉 Na, they are scrawny no arse types…just right really. ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dopers-whats-a-ponce/238234/10 "2004-04-05T12:19:29Z")
A ponce was originally a pimp but now means am ineffectual rather effeminate chap - not necessarily gay, but on those lines. It is also a verb - to ponce which means to scrounge or beg - eg “could I ponce a drink off you?” I do hope you heard correctly and he wasn’t describing the other fellah as a “nonce” which is a very different thing altogether. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dopers-whats-a-ponce/238234/11 "2004-04-05T14:28:26Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > “nonce” which is a very different thing altogether. Heehee, there was a chap (Indian) here who was using _nonce_ as an all purpose “friendly” insult. We explained why this was probably a good habit to lose. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dopers-whats-a-ponce/238234/12 "2004-04-05T15:22:58Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > \ > I do hope you heard correctly and he wasn’t describing the other fellah as a “nonce” which is a very different thing altogether. Definitely ponce, and the descriptions fit into the conversation. “John” and “Ringo” are in town for two weeks and “Paul” took them to Baltimore for sight seeing. They were expecting to go to inner-harbor and things like that, but instead he took them to a bunch of “artsy” type stores and “Ringo” said “He is such a ponce. I swear it was a ponce’s day out.” ---
**Author:** ![Reader99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df788c/32.png) [@Reader99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reader99)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dopers-whats-a-ponce/238234/13 "2004-04-05T23:02:38Z")
surprisingly interesting link to an “english-american” dictionary: [http://english2american.com/index.html](http://english2american.com/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2004, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dopers-whats-a-ponce/238234/14 "2004-04-06T08:25:10Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > Definitely ponce, and the descriptions fit into the conversation. “John” and “Ringo” are in town for two weeks and “Paul” took them to Baltimore for sight seeing. They were expecting to go to inner-harbor and things like that, but instead he took them to a bunch of “artsy” type stores and “Ringo” said “He is such a ponce. I swear it was a ponce’s day out.” “A ponce’s day out” is such a perfect expression of English english. I am warming to your pal. ---
**Author:** ![Bojangles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@Bojangles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bojangles)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2004, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dopers-whats-a-ponce/238234/15 "2004-04-06T09:42:42Z")
> [@calm kiwi](#): > > I am currently reading Glue by Irvine Welsh. Bloody uncouth those Scottish buggers are. > > No Scottish blokes should take offence, I married someone straight out of a Irvine Welsh novel! I don’t mean to be pedantic… but I think the bloke in the bar is Irish. He is very uncouth though. 😉 I may change my name to Mr McFuck. ---
**Author:** ![notquitekarpov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@notquitekarpov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notquitekarpov)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2004, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dopers-whats-a-ponce/238234/16 "2004-04-06T12:30:18Z")
(Aside) One of my favorite Grauniad typos (The Guardian - famous in the UK as a paper with very sloppy proof reading) reported that in foiling a bank raid “armed police ponced”. I just like the mental image that brings up 😃 ---
**Author:** ![OM\_Waterfall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/51bf81/32.png) [@OM\_Waterfall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OM_Waterfall)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2004, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dopers-whats-a-ponce/238234/17 "2004-04-06T12:31:41Z")
A ponce, or punce as it is said in my circles is what americans would call a metrosexual. ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2004, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dopers-whats-a-ponce/238234/18 "2004-04-06T14:57:29Z")
Do Americans use the word fop? ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2004, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dopers-whats-a-ponce/238234/19 "2004-04-06T15:55:16Z")
Another phrase for a ponce would be “big girl’s blouse” nb this doesn’t automatically mean that the gentleman concerned is “good with colours” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2004, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dopers-whats-a-ponce/238234/20 "2004-04-06T20:37:30Z")
> [@gex gex](#): > > Do Americans use the word fop? Only if they are interested in the [Renissance Faire](http://www.renfaire.com/) or [the SCA](http://www.sca.org/). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dopers-whats-a-ponce/238234.md?page=2)