# Is split tail still used informally? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 12, 2013, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-split-tail-still-used-informally/671081 "2013-10-12T18:10:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-split-tail-still-used-informally/671081/1 "2013-10-12T18:10:30Z")
Similar to swinging dick for guys. I haven’t heard split tail used for ladies in quite awhile. Often abbreviated as tail. Is it still commonly used? > **[Urban Dictionary: split tail](https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=split%20tail)** > > A member of the female species according to U.S. Marine Corps slang. > [@](#): > > 1. split tail > A member of the female species according to U.S. Marine Corps slang. > There were some nice looking split tails at the club last night. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-split-tail-still-used-informally/671081/2 "2013-10-12T18:24:32Z")
You could ask the next BAM you see. Broad-Assed Marine. My former Navy-lifer BIL advised me never, ever, ever to say that within earshot of a split-tail Marine. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-split-tail-still-used-informally/671081/3 "2013-10-12T18:38:41Z")
I haven’t heard it in years. Along with RCH and 4F ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-split-tail-still-used-informally/671081/4 "2013-10-12T19:47:16Z")
BAM is a new one for me. shavetail is another good one. Don’t think it’s gender specific. A 2nd lieutenant. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-split-tail-still-used-informally/671081/5 "2013-10-12T19:54:28Z")
My elderly father uses it sometimes. Don’t know where he picked it up, he was never a marine. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-split-tail-still-used-informally/671081/6 "2013-10-12T20:12:33Z")
> [@sahirrnee](#): > > I haven’t heard it in years. > > Along with RCH and 4F There was an old joke among the construction types: Kid has been watching a construction site down the street. His father asks him to help him build a doghouse. Father: “Is this stud straight?” Kid: “Move it to the right a cunt hair.” Father: “WHAT?!” Kid: “Ah fuck it; nail it.” ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-split-tail-still-used-informally/671081/7 "2013-10-12T20:36:52Z")
People often say move it to the right a hair. Or shorten that 2x4 a hair. I often wonder how many of the younger guys knows it has been abbreviated. I often give measurements that way for cutting lumber. 3 ft 7 inches and a hair. Meaning make it a 1/16 extra. Or 3 ft 7 inches minus a hair. meaning just under that measurement. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-split-tail-still-used-informally/671081/8 "2013-10-12T22:59:20Z")
Me, I prefer measurements to be a bit over, a bit extra. So, five inches and a cat. Four-foot seven and a cat. Nineteen yards and a cat. (I have an add-a-puss complex.) ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-split-tail-still-used-informally/671081/9 "2013-10-13T02:26:06Z")
My granddad said “Ah, another split tail” when my sister had her 3rd girl. ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-split-tail-still-used-informally/671081/10 "2013-10-13T15:00:24Z")
I’ve never come across that expression in my life. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-split-tail-still-used-informally/671081/11 "2013-10-13T16:00:22Z")
I’ve seen “split tail” in various books but I’ve never heard anyone say it out loud. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-split-tail-still-used-informally/671081/12 "2013-10-13T16:38:30Z")
Wow, that’s a pretty gross phrase. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-split-tail-still-used-informally/671081/13 "2013-10-13T17:34:31Z")
I’ve 55 and have been in a lot of man talk conversations, and I have never heard that phrase used before. ---
**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:** [October 13, 2013, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-split-tail-still-used-informally/671081/14 "2013-10-13T17:42:02Z")
I’ve heard the term maybe twice, one time being in the lewd graphic novel “The Pro” by Garth Ennis. Don’t recall the other time exactly. I’m 43. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-split-tail-still-used-informally/671081/15 "2013-10-13T18:30:13Z")
Heard them all more or less. As to them being good or bad, depends on the location, context, person saying it & how they do. But I have been in some **interesting** places during my **interesting** life. IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-split-tail-still-used-informally/671081/16 "2013-10-13T19:21:24Z")
I have heard that, and worse, but not generally in polite conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-split-tail-still-used-informally/671081/17 "2013-10-13T20:17:01Z")
> [@zweisamkeit](#): > > Wow, that’s a pretty gross phrase. Then you’ll love knowing why women have legs. So they won’t leave a slime trail. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-split-tail-still-used-informally/671081/18 "2013-10-14T21:17:06Z")
I’ve heard it more from military friends, but less frequently in the past decade. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-split-tail-still-used-informally/671081/19 "2013-10-14T21:45:37Z")
Heard it, used it. Not very often for either, though. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-split-tail-still-used-informally/671081/20 "2013-10-14T22:26:16Z")
I’ve only seen it used in books, and the circumstances weren’t exactly “informal” but generally only conversations between foul-mouthed military men of some sort. It’s a crude insulting word, I certainly HOPE it doesn’t get used in informal settings. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-split-tail-still-used-informally/671081.md?page=2)