# I hate the term "bowel movement" **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 15, 2011, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-term-bowel-movement/596403 "2011-09-15T16:27:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Jaxnative1210](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@Jaxnative1210](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaxnative1210)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-term-bowel-movement/596403/41 "2011-09-16T03:47:14Z")
and a poet is born… ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-term-bowel-movement/596403/42 "2011-09-16T03:50:07Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I find it appropriate that the previous poster’s name rhymes with “laxative.” I find it appropriate that this poster is an anagram for “Would Bo think?” ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-term-bowel-movement/596403/43 "2011-09-16T04:03:44Z")
One time somebody wrote to the National Lampoon advice column saying, “Every time my phone rings, I have a bowel movement. Is this normal?” Now if you’ll pardon me, I have to drop some friends off at the pool. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-term-bowel-movement/596403/44 "2011-09-16T05:28:53Z")
Not a fan of BM or panties. Not sure why. I hate them! (the words I mean, not the things themselves) I’d rather say shit and undies, respectively. ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-term-bowel-movement/596403/45 "2011-09-16T06:18:43Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > What’s brown and squishy and sits on a piano bench? > > Beethoven’s First Movement. You’re officially on my shit-list. Boo! Boom-boom for the square haircuts at home. All his first movements were just fine – he had so many of them! ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-term-bowel-movement/596403/46 "2011-09-16T12:33:58Z")
I hate having a movement. First there’s all the packing, and then all the unpacking. Plus, I’m always uncomfortable asking friends to help me. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-term-bowel-movement/596403/47 "2011-09-16T13:07:20Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > The shit you say. This really should not be the cause of such uncontrollable laughter, but it is. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-term-bowel-movement/596403/48 "2011-09-16T14:49:34Z")
For a long time my brother has preferred the phrase “rip a chimp.” He has no idea re: the etymology, and neither do I. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-term-bowel-movement/596403/49 "2011-09-16T16:15:15Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > Not a fan of BM or panties. Not sure why. I hate them! (the words I mean, not the things themselves) I’d rather say shit and undies, respectively. I’m a big fan of knickers myself. ---
**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-term-bowel-movement/596403/50 "2011-09-16T16:44:21Z")
I love the term. I can’t think of a more appropriate term for arseholes to use. ---
**Author:** ![Snake\_Plissken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@Snake\_Plissken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snake_Plissken)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-term-bowel-movement/596403/51 "2011-09-16T19:12:27Z")
> [@Cub\_Mistress](#): > > As a nurse, I ask people every day if their bowels have moved. I had no idea so many people dislike the phrase! Hehehe, My wife was a nurse, now and anesthesiologist. After an operation she once asked me if I’d voided my bladder. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-term-bowel-movement/596403/52 "2011-09-16T22:14:03Z")
ANY term or euphemism is better than “poop.” I have no idea why I find that word bothers me like it does. . ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-term-bowel-movement/596403/53 "2011-09-16T22:20:04Z")
> [@Online Etymology Dictionary](#): > > [An O[ld] E[nglish] word for “bowel movement” was arse-gang, “arse-going.”](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=defecation&allowed_in_frame=0) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2011, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-term-bowel-movement/596403/54 "2011-09-17T04:01:28Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Why do they call it “bowel movement” anyway? They’re not _going_ anywhere! FUNK DAT! Man. That’s a reference. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2011, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-term-bowel-movement/596403/55 "2011-09-17T04:23:38Z")
Around this house, we declare the the dismissal to _shit_ with pride and pomp. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2011, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-term-bowel-movement/596403/56 "2011-09-17T23:30:12Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > Peristalsis, peristalsis > The bowels move > The bowels move > Plop into the water, > my bowels moved … > > handbasket ride to hell for me :smack: > [@Jaxnative1210](#): > > peristalis, peristalis > cannot poo, cannot poo > could not make a code brown > cause my bowels are locked down > cannot poo, cannot poo Thanks for helping me out with that. > [@maisoui](#): > > Thank you \*so \*much for that… I needed another earworm. :0) We like to share. And thanks to **Alan Smithee** for arse-gang. Beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![Mopal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aeb1de/32.png) [@Mopal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mopal)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-term-bowel-movement/596403/57 "2011-09-27T01:27:14Z")
> [@Cub\_Mistress](#): > > Conversation I overheard today in a quiet store, between a boy about 7 years old and his mom: > > Kid: what is that, mom? > Mom: Something to make my bowels move. > Kid: What? > Mom: something to make me poop. > Kid: poop? you mean shit? > Mom: yeah, something to make me shit. > Kid: OK > > As a nurse, I ask people every day if their bowels have moved. I had no idea so many people dislike the phrase! The worst part about the term as used by nurses is the group implication. “Did we have a bowel movement ?” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-term-bowel-movement/596403.md?page=2)