# Do you know what "gleeking" is? Can you do it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 31, 2012, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-gleeking-is-can-you-do-it/623632 "2012-05-31T06:27:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/278dde/32.png) [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Runs_With_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-gleeking-is-can-you-do-it/623632/1 "2012-05-31T06:27:35Z")
Do you call it something else? Gleeking is opening your mouth and shooting saliva out of the two forward glands on the underside of the front of your tongue at will. The unusual thing about it is that is is an extremely difficult maneuver to explain to someone. How would you teach someone how to do it? A friend tried to teach me in 7th grade. For some reason, I kept trying for the next two years. And suddenly I could do it in 9th grade. I remember thinking at the time, “No wonder it couldn’t be explained.” And now I’m really good at it 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-gleeking-is-can-you-do-it/623632/2 "2012-05-31T06:32:34Z")
Yes I know what ‘gleeking’ is, but I’ve never been able to do it. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-gleeking-is-can-you-do-it/623632/3 "2012-05-31T06:49:32Z")
Not familiar with anybody who can “gleek” at will and with any accuracy, but we used to call the forcing of a stream of saliva between the front two teeth as “skeeting” and I could do that pretty well. I wouldn’t have thought of “skeeting” on a bet, until you asked. I’d be willing to admit it was not a popular term in the 50’s when was the last time I can remember using it. It may not have been used outside the town I lived in then. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-gleeking-is-can-you-do-it/623632/4 "2012-05-31T13:42:03Z")
Sure, I learned it from my brother on a road trip when I was maybe 10 or 12. It’s easy. 1. Put the tip of your tongue against the tops of your front teeth. 2. Roll the bottom of your tongue forward. 3. Gleek your way to profit. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-gleeking-is-can-you-do-it/623632/5 "2012-05-31T14:43:39Z")
Yes, no, and yuck. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-gleeking-is-can-you-do-it/623632/6 "2012-05-31T14:44:28Z")
The secret is to yawn first. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-gleeking-is-can-you-do-it/623632/7 "2012-05-31T15:01:40Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > The secret is to yawn first. Probably not wise if you’re in a “who can gleek first?” contest :eek: ---
**Author:** ![heathen\_earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/13edae/32.png) [@heathen\_earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heathen_earthling)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-gleeking-is-can-you-do-it/623632/8 "2012-05-31T15:03:55Z")
I’ve never heard of this and had no idea it was even possible. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-gleeking-is-can-you-do-it/623632/9 "2012-05-31T15:15:01Z")
I’ll occasionally gleek without trying when I’m opening my mouth to take a bite of something delicious. Pavlov, gleek your heart out. Can’t do it at-will, though. ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-gleeking-is-can-you-do-it/623632/10 "2012-05-31T15:20:04Z")
Yep, sure can. Freaks out MrPanda. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-gleeking-is-can-you-do-it/623632/11 "2012-05-31T15:31:16Z")
Yep. I started a thread about it a few years ago, but I can’t seem to find it. I can’t say I have much accuracy, but I can do it on demand, though not many times in a short period. Joe ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-gleeking-is-can-you-do-it/623632/12 "2012-05-31T16:13:54Z")
Yes, yes, and my method is different from **tdn** ’s. I do move the tongue forward a little. The most effective way is to lightly bite my tongue with my right canine. I showed **Mr. Mallard** once and he was horrified: he had never know a human to do anything so snake-like. ---
**Author:** ![Astral\_Rejection](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/258eb7/32.png) [@Astral\_Rejection](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astral_Rejection)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-gleeking-is-can-you-do-it/623632/13 "2012-05-31T16:39:01Z")
This is one of those things I’ve known about, without ever being curious about _why_ it’s called gleeking. Internet searching time! ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-gleeking-is-can-you-do-it/623632/14 "2012-05-31T16:48:50Z")
My brother could (possibly still can) gleek. It was exactly that sort of thing, that and the fart-fights that he and his friends used to do in the car when I was driving them to the ski hill that makes my late teens/his early teens such an unfortunate memory. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-gleeking-is-can-you-do-it/623632/15 "2012-05-31T17:00:52Z")
Know what it is. Can’t do it at will. Happens when I yawn sometimes. My son has been working on it for years. I shall share your tips. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-gleeking-is-can-you-do-it/623632/16 "2012-05-31T17:16:53Z")
Yes and yes. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-gleeking-is-can-you-do-it/623632/17 "2012-05-31T17:22:55Z")
yes and no. ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-gleeking-is-can-you-do-it/623632/18 "2012-05-31T17:43:45Z")
I didn’t know it had a name but I could do it unintentionally when I was younger. I can’t do it upon demand and haven’t done it in a while. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-gleeking-is-can-you-do-it/623632/19 "2012-05-31T18:20:06Z")
Yes I know what it is, no I cannot do it on purpose and I’ve only done it a handful (a cup full?) of times accidentally. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-gleeking-is-can-you-do-it/623632/20 "2012-05-31T18:39:37Z")
How long has it been called this? “Gleek” is now a term for an uberfan of the TV series _Glee_. When I first saw the thread title, I thought “gleeking” was “being a Gleek.” I can almost see the joke now: “They said it was going to be a ‘Gleeking Contest’…” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-gleeking-is-can-you-do-it/623632.md?page=2)