# Is "with my thumb up my ass" universally understood? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 23, 2006, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-with-my-thumb-up-my-ass-universally-understood/373895 "2006-09-23T22:34:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2006, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-with-my-thumb-up-my-ass-universally-understood/373895/1 "2006-09-23T22:34:25Z")
I was discussing with a friend an upcoming social event where everyone will be a stranger to me (_not_ the Atlanta picnic next Sunday, of course), and she made a commiserative remark about how stressful such meetings can be. I wanted to clarify that my aprehension was less due to 'stage fright" and more of expectaions of boredom, using the phrase “I’m mainly afraid of just sitting there with my thumb up my ass until I can politely leave.” But I didn’t use that phrase, because I’m not sure it wouldn’t have been perceived as some bizzare anal eroticiscm ritual performed during stress, similar to an OCD’s hand-washing or need to touch every horizotal surface in the room. For me, so resons I am unable to explain, “just sitting there with my thumb up my ass” perfectly sums up our sluggard uselessness during spells of enui. But would you understand it if so used in conversation? ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2006, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-with-my-thumb-up-my-ass-universally-understood/373895/2 "2006-09-23T22:59:09Z")
Yup. ---
**Author:** ![some\_white\_dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b487fb/32.png) [@some\_white\_dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/some_white_dude)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-with-my-thumb-up-my-ass-universally-understood/373895/3 "2006-09-24T00:42:05Z")
So…I guess we can close the thread now, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-with-my-thumb-up-my-ass-universally-understood/373895/4 "2006-09-24T01:14:33Z")
Might as well. It’s just sitting here with its thumb up its ass… …but now with confident impunity! ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-with-my-thumb-up-my-ass-universally-understood/373895/5 "2006-09-24T02:00:35Z")
Well, not _universally_ understood. I had never heard it, but I don’t suppose your social event is in CelynLand anyway, **Slithy Tove**. 🙂 Interesting phrase. ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-with-my-thumb-up-my-ass-universally-understood/373895/6 "2006-09-24T03:55:16Z")
I think it’d be well understood but it’s kinda crass and I wouldn’t use it with someone I don’t know well. If you say “twiddling my thumbs”, it means the same thing and it won’t inadverdantly offend someone. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-with-my-thumb-up-my-ass-universally-understood/373895/7 "2006-09-24T04:01:30Z")
Don’t tell her THAT! :eek: Just tell her you’d prefer to stay home and fuck the dog. ---
**Author:** ![groo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecd19e/32.png) [@groo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groo)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-with-my-thumb-up-my-ass-universally-understood/373895/8 "2006-09-24T07:56:34Z")
I’m just sitting here with my thumb up my ass (an expression I use often), wondering if “I just pulled \_\_\_\_\_\_ out of my butt” is also understood. I generally use it in place of the milder, “I pulled \_\_\_\_ out of thin air.” I surely hope that everyone knows, " … and maybe monkeys will fly out of my butt," given how often I use it. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-with-my-thumb-up-my-ass-universally-understood/373895/9 "2006-09-24T08:21:36Z")
This phrase would be widely understood in both the UK and Ireland, though of course it would concern one’s arse, not ass. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-with-my-thumb-up-my-ass-universally-understood/373895/10 "2006-09-24T08:47:12Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] This phrase would be widely understood in both the UK and Ireland, though of course it would concern one’s arse, not ass. [/QUOTE] Well, I dunno, I’d feel pretty sluggardly useless with my thumb in a donkey. Incidentally, why is it that people without lovely UK accents just can’t really say “arse” without sounding moronic? ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-with-my-thumb-up-my-ass-universally-understood/373895/11 "2006-09-24T09:02:17Z")
A **very** similar expression is used _in Hebrew_ to describe a person who just can’t get anything done “He doesn’t take his finger out of his ass” – which means that, certainly, **I** , from a very different location and a completely different linguistic background would understand you. So I vote for pretty damn universal… ---
**Author:** ![cactus\_waltz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@cactus\_waltz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cactus_waltz)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-with-my-thumb-up-my-ass-universally-understood/373895/12 "2006-09-24T10:51:53Z")
It’s lost on me. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-with-my-thumb-up-my-ass-universally-understood/373895/13 "2006-09-24T13:45:10Z")
Very common in both CA where I am from and NY where I now live. I tend to say “sitting here…on my hands” with the obvious pause for effect. Same thing with “I just pulled that idea…out of my ear” when everyone knows what I really mean - just trying to avoid needless profanity in a professional setting while making my point… ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-with-my-thumb-up-my-ass-universally-understood/373895/14 "2006-09-25T21:16:22Z")
No, I’d expect it meant you were affraid of Gay Rape at the meating or something like that. “I’d be there just sitting on my hands” would have the meaning you wanted from my point of view. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-with-my-thumb-up-my-ass-universally-understood/373895/15 "2006-09-25T21:23:30Z")
[QUOTE=Noone Special] A **very** similar expression is used _in Hebrew_ to describe a person who just can’t get anything done “He doesn’t take his finger out of his ass” [/QUOTE] So finger/thumb-in-ass is OK in Hebrew-speaking cultures, as long as you know when to take it out? ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-with-my-thumb-up-my-ass-universally-understood/373895/16 "2006-09-26T05:24:59Z")
[QUOTE=Beware of Doug] So finger/thumb-in-ass is OK in Hebrew-speaking cultures, as long as you know when to take it out? [/QUOTE] Yup. You may well hear an army sargeant tell a platton, “OK, guys, rest’s over; y’all get your fingers out of your asses and let’s get cracking!” Absolutley zero sexual overtone. And, yet, of course there are euphamisms for everything, so one expression you might hear is “This guy is so lazy, he can’t sit down” (implied – because he has his finger up his ass, which would make for a difficult, nay _painful_, geometry :D) BTW, what **other** Hebrew-speaking culture_ **s** _ (other than Israeli culture, that is) are you speaking of? 😕 I only know of this one… ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-with-my-thumb-up-my-ass-universally-understood/373895/17 "2006-09-26T13:06:06Z")
[QUOTE=Bippy the Beardless] No, I’d expect it meant you were affraid of Gay Rape at the meating or something like that. “I’d be there just sitting on my hands” would have the meaning you wanted from my point of view. [/QUOTE] Interesting misspell on meeting. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-with-my-thumb-up-my-ass-universally-understood/373895/18 "2006-09-26T13:29:00Z")
Last night my GF said, “I sat there with my thumb in my… do you know what I mean? _Mon pouce en mon [coule?]_” (This last with a helpful illustrating gesture.) I remembered seeing this thread title and thought that at least I know it’s understood by québécoise. ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-with-my-thumb-up-my-ass-universally-understood/373895/19 "2006-09-27T01:46:06Z")
How about this “polite” alternative? “…sitting around with nine fingers exposed”. ---
**Author:** ![Sonia\_Montdore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Sonia\_Montdore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sonia_Montdore)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-with-my-thumb-up-my-ass-universally-understood/373895/20 "2006-09-27T23:05:17Z")
Back in 1961, the Duke of Edinburgh raised eyebrows when he told British industrialists, “Gentlemen, it’s time we pulled our fingers out.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-with-my-thumb-up-my-ass-universally-understood/373895.md?page=2)