# "laundry list"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laundry-list/178004>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 28, 2003, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laundry-list/178004 "2003-05-28T13:21:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laundry-list/178004/1 "2003-05-28T13:21:18Z")

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I heard on the news that someone had “a laundry list of prior convictions.” Why an archaic “laundry list,” rather than “shopping list” or “to-do list” or just “list”?

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**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laundry-list/178004/2 "2003-05-28T13:25:47Z")

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It adds a little _panache_ to the story.  
[sub]Couldn’t resist.[/sub]

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**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laundry-list/178004/3 "2003-05-28T14:21:15Z")

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“Laundry list” is not archaic. It means a list of miscellaneous items. The fact that it has nothing to do with laundry any more is irrelevant.

And there are different meanings to each phrase:

Laundry list – miscellaneous items  
shopping list – items you plan to buy (not relevant in this context)  
to-do list – list of things you plan to do (also irrelevant)  
list – general list. Would be acceptable, but is less specific.

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**Author:** ![j.c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@j.c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j.c)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laundry-list/178004/4 "2003-05-28T15:27:00Z")

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Once upon a time, people sent their laundry out. To keep track of the laundry, lists were made. Very boring, longish lists.

Some people still send their laundry out. And in many cases the dry cleaning place makes a list to keep track. And the list are still the dullest list possible.

(I believe it was Lissa who mentioned working at or being associated with a US museum. Perhaps along with the strange turn-of-the-centure bathroom products, that museum’s collection of domestic errata includes a few 1890s laundry lists.)

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**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laundry-list/178004/5 "2003-05-28T16:17:11Z")

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Personally, I enjoy reading the laundry list forms you get in many hotels. It’s not that I ever made use of the laundry services hotels offer; I just enjoy browsing through the enumerations of clothing and checking the prices they demand for it. I also enjoy reading minibar price lists and complain about those crazy prices. Exactly the right thing to do if you’re lying in your hotel room and don’t have enything to do 😉