# dirty phrase origin?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dirty-phrase-origin/234196>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 14, 2004, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dirty-phrase-origin/234196 "2004-03-14T05:06:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![pope\_hentai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@pope\_hentai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pope_hentai)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dirty-phrase-origin/234196/1 "2004-03-14T05:06:58Z")

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what is the origin of the term “cleveland steamer”?

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dirty-phrase-origin/234196/2 "2004-03-14T05:13:31Z")

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Ok, I really wish I hadn’t Googled that phrase.

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dirty-phrase-origin/234196/3 "2004-03-14T05:17:49Z")

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It is first cited on Usenet from 1995.

While I don’t know if it has anything to do with your phrase, the word _steamer_ is cited in print from 1958 in reference to a male homosexual looking for a passive partner.

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dirty-phrase-origin/234196/4 "2004-03-14T05:19:56Z")

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And, while I have no cite, perhaps “the full Cleveland” may be involved. I doubt that the act first occured in Cleveland.

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**Author:** ![Call\_me\_Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Call\_me\_Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Call_me_Frank)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dirty-phrase-origin/234196/5 "2004-03-14T06:40:55Z")

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> [@Q.E.D.](#):
>
> Ok, I really wish I hadn’t Googled that phrase.

You took one for the team, **Q.E.D.** , 'cause I’m not going to do that _now_, lol…

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**Author:** ![netscape\_6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8c91f0/32.png) [@netscape\_6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/netscape_6)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dirty-phrase-origin/234196/6 "2004-03-14T12:14:47Z")

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> [@Q.E.D.](#):
>
> Ok, I really wish I hadn’t Googled that phrase.

I agree. Some your post maybe me want to google it more. Why am I such a masochist? I was better not googling it.

Steamer is pretty obvious. I have never really heard anything about it but are people in Cleveland known for being vengefull?