# Mild insults: Not the \_\_\_\_\_\_est \_\_\_\_\_ in the \_\_\_\_\_ **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 11, 2003, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mild-insults-not-the-______est-_____-in-the-_____/160523 "2003-03-11T08:54:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mild-insults-not-the-______est-_____-in-the-_____/160523/41 "2011-03-18T20:14:17Z")
Not the brightest chicken in the sea. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mild-insults-not-the-______est-_____-in-the-_____/160523/42 "2011-03-18T21:06:55Z")
> [@betenoir](#): > > If I point out that this one was in the OP, what crayon does that make you 😃 ? > > … 😃 Burnt Sienna. > [@Aspidistra](#): > > not the deadest zombie in the graveyard… Win. Not the winningest win in the Sheen. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mild-insults-not-the-______est-_____-in-the-_____/160523/43 "2011-03-18T21:17:28Z")
Boxer Vinny Pazienza once said of an opponent, “He’s not the sharpest marble in the box.” ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mild-insults-not-the-______est-_____-in-the-_____/160523/44 "2011-03-18T21:22:19Z")
Not the Pepsiest Pepsi in the Pepsi vending machine. \*Why yes I am drinking a Pepsi right now. ---
**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mild-insults-not-the-______est-_____-in-the-_____/160523/45 "2011-03-19T05:19:57Z")
“Tubelight” is a favourite word here in India. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mild-insults-not-the-______est-_____-in-the-_____/160523/46 "2011-03-19T05:54:36Z")
Not the smartest person in the room. We were poor and couldn’t afford luxuries like metaphors. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mild-insults-not-the-______est-_____-in-the-_____/160523/47 "2011-03-19T17:45:31Z")
[PSA] Listen up, people. In order for this metaphor to work as an insult to someone’s intelligence, you have to use adjectives that are synonymous with “smart.” You can’t just pick up any old adjective and noun and throw them together. “Bright,” “sharp,”“quick,” etc., are all effective adjectives because they are commonly used to mean “smart.” “He’s not the sharpest tool in the shed.” Works “He’s not the steepest hill in the mountains.” Does not work “She’s not the quickest sprinter in the race.” Works “He’s not the creamiest ice cream in the parlor.” Does not work “She’s not the slickest popsicle in the freezer.” Works Also, “He’s not the swiftest crayon in the box.” does not work, either, unless you are trying to be deliberately ironic. Crayons aren’t known to be swift. Thank you. [/PSA] ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Credible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a8b319/32.png) [@Justin\_Credible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Credible)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mild-insults-not-the-______est-_____-in-the-_____/160523/48 "2011-03-19T22:15:18Z")
Not the brightest bulb in the drawer where you keep the lightbulbs, which is probably, but not necessarily, in the kitchen or basement or maybe even in a cabinet somewhere behind some paper towels and stuff that you forgot all about buying. ---
**Author:** ![impatien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c89c15/32.png) [@impatien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/impatien)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mild-insults-not-the-______est-_____-in-the-_____/160523/49 "2011-03-19T22:52:02Z")
> [@broccoli](#): > > Not the smartest peanut in the turd! > > I cant believe that one wasnt posted yet! Wow, me either!! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Niply\_Elder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@The\_Niply\_Elder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Niply_Elder)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mild-insults-not-the-______est-_____-in-the-_____/160523/50 "2011-03-19T23:36:59Z")
Not the wittiest metaphor in Utopia … ---
**Author:** ![surrounded\_by\_literalists](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8baadc/32.png) [@surrounded\_by\_literalists](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/surrounded_by_literalists)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mild-insults-not-the-______est-_____-in-the-_____/160523/51 "2011-03-19T23:43:06Z")
> [@indian](#): > > “Tubelight” is a favourite word here in India. OMG! As I read your post I am right now watching a Bollywood film. I am a late start Bollywood fan. I just found fabulous last summer. Namaste ---
**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mild-insults-not-the-______est-_____-in-the-_____/160523/52 "2011-03-21T05:58:50Z")
A bollywood fan!🆒🙂 How do you find it, when our hero and heroine suddenly start singing and runnning around trees? ETA: Namaste ! ---
**Author:** ![surrounded\_by\_literalists](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8baadc/32.png) [@surrounded\_by\_literalists](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/surrounded_by_literalists)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mild-insults-not-the-______est-_____-in-the-_____/160523/53 "2011-03-21T06:50:32Z")
It is totally AWSOME! They are such a terrific departure from the stuff Hollywood forces on us. This afternoon I was watching Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and just SOBBING through most of it. It was so tragically beautiful. The film industry of India has much to be proud of. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mild-insults-not-the-______est-_____-in-the-_____/160523/54 "2011-03-21T06:59:57Z")
Not the foggiest clue in the world. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mild-insults-not-the-______est-_____-in-the-_____/160523/55 "2011-03-21T07:19:18Z")
Not the closest boule in the set. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mild-insults-not-the-______est-_____-in-the-_____/160523/56 "2011-03-21T07:21:58Z")
Not the fattest cross-dresser in that Botero. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mild-insults-not-the-______est-_____-in-the-_____/160523.md?page=2)