# How do I search for threads about three letter words?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-search-for-threads-about-three-letter-words/599202>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [October 10, 2011, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-search-for-threads-about-three-letter-words/599202 "2011-10-10T17:42:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bunnymom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c4cdca/32.png) [@bunnymom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bunnymom)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-search-for-threads-about-three-letter-words/599202/1 "2011-10-10T17:42:28Z")

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Hey y’all - how do I search for threads having to do with subjects that are the forbidden three letter words?

For instance, today I was talking with the hubby about domestic oil production and wanted to see what discussions there were about it on the Dope. Search accepted ‘domestic’ but rejected ‘oil’.

Is there a trick to searching for three letter subjects?

This is not a complaint. Just asking for advice.

Thanks for any info.

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**Author:** ![bunnymom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c4cdca/32.png) [@bunnymom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bunnymom)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-search-for-threads-about-three-letter-words/599202/2 "2011-10-10T17:47:12Z")

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Wanted to add that I tried to use search to find the answer to my own question and search rejected the word ‘three’.

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**Author:** ![jonesj2205](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecc23a/32.png) [@jonesj2205](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jonesj2205)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-search-for-threads-about-three-letter-words/599202/3 "2011-10-10T17:52:14Z")

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Have you tried using google while limiting the search to the SMDB (adding “site:boards.straightdope.com” to the search string).?

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**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-search-for-threads-about-three-letter-words/599202/4 "2011-10-10T18:11:39Z")

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Since you aren’t just looking for a three-letter word, you can actually put the entire thing in quotes. I just typed “domestic oil” (with the quotes) in the search box, and it worked.

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**Author:** ![bunnymom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c4cdca/32.png) [@bunnymom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bunnymom)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-search-for-threads-about-three-letter-words/599202/5 "2011-10-10T18:30:34Z")

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Thank you both for your help. I have used the site:straightdope search for other subjects in the past. I just totally forgot about it today.

Didn’t even occur on me to try putting the phrase in quotes. Good idea.

Apparently my brain is not fully awake yet.

Thanks.

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**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-search-for-threads-about-three-letter-words/599202/6 "2011-10-10T19:37:15Z")

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in this thread

> **[Is it possible to change the 4-letter search limit?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=614307)**
>
> WAY too many meaningful words are three letters! Two most recent searches that failed because they were 3 letters: CSS and FOX. Wah.

there is mention of an exception list of words to enable searching