# Most hated idioms **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 7, 2011, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875 "2011-10-07T07:01:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/1 "2011-10-07T07:01:20Z")
What idiomatic phrases grate your ears? I have two. First is “knocked up.” I guess it’s by design, but it sounds so crude and low class. It sets my teeth on edge, and it typically makes me think a little less of the speaker when I hear it. The second is “laid” as in “had sex.” It sounds sleazy to me, much more than the Anglo Saxon terms we use. It makes me think of Ted Nugent music and screwing in grotty places like bathroom stalls. Which idioms for any activity set you off? ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/2 "2011-10-07T07:31:48Z")
Those don’t really bother me, (ok…“laid” is kind of tacky when I think about it.) but one that really makes me cringe is “screw the pooch.” ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/3 "2011-10-07T08:16:56Z")
“Hit that”. Both objectifying and advocating violence against women? No thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/4 "2011-10-07T12:55:37Z")
“at the end of the day.” !!! Hate how much its come into use! ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/5 "2011-10-07T13:58:17Z")
People who say “think outside of the box” are always the most conventional thinkers. All you really need to do is think and if you do it properly, your thoughts will go outside of the box all on their own. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/6 "2011-10-07T14:02:08Z")
“The other side of the aisle” when referring to the other political party - I want to outlaw that expression and thump all those who use it. Yes, it makes me stabby. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/7 "2011-10-07T14:07:27Z")
It is what it is. ---
**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:** [October 7, 2011, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/8 "2011-10-07T14:21:27Z")
Old lady or old man when someone is referring to their significant other. I hate that term. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/9 "2011-10-07T14:23:12Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > “at the end of the day.” !!! Hate how much its come into use! This one seems to be extremely prevalent on reality shows. At least _Jersey Shore_ and all of the _Real Housewives_ shows. It’s used when generally stupid people are trying to wax philosophical. I agree that it’s used waaaay too much. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/10 "2011-10-07T15:05:54Z")
I know, right? ---
**Author:** ![No\_umlaut\_for\_U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@No\_umlaut\_for\_U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_umlaut_for_U)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/11 "2011-10-07T15:12:34Z")
Six of one, half a dozen of the other. And ditto on screw the pooch, and I’d hit that. ---
**Author:** ![colonial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/34f0e0/32.png) [@colonial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colonial)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/12 "2011-10-07T15:32:52Z")
I think I will have fun rating what’s already been pitted. AOK = I like it and might use it myself MEH = no big deal SUCKS = sucks **knocked up** MEH a harmless archaic expression I have never heard anyone use outside a a very few books and movies. \*_laid **AOK can be welcome change of pace from f** _ **screw the pooch** SUCKS another one I have never heard in real life, but stupider sounding than “knocked up” **hit that** I am completlely unfamiliar with this one, as in never heard of it. Guess it’s from post mid1985s pop music. If it really does imply violence then yes, it SUCKS \*\*at the end of the day \*\*MEH cliche which I could see some might find grating, but it doesn’t bother me. **think outside of the box** SUCKS cliche which does bother me. **The other side of the aisle** MEH cliche but ingrained probably for centuries so no gettinjg rid of it and it doesn’t bother me anyway. \*\*It is what it is \*\*SUCKS cliche which does bother me. **old lady and old man** SUCKS, but \*\*significant other \*\*SUCKS even worse. It is one of the most dorkish and unneeded of all modernisms, conveying no warmth and intimacy, and sounding like some engineering term that came out of the robotics department. Girlfriend/wife and boyfriend/husband were aleady available should always be used, at least until someone comes up with a really worthy alternative. My choice for the worst of what SUCKS is the complete and utter monstrosity **no problem** as used by retail staff in reply to a customer’s expression of thanks. As if it could conceivably be a “problem” for them to provide service for a paying customer!!! “You’re welcome” “Glad to do it” and numerous other AOK replies are availble and should always be used. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/13 "2011-10-07T15:36:18Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > Old lady or old man when someone is referring to their significant other. I hate that term. So how do you feel about “the ol’ ball ‘n’ chain”? ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/14 "2011-10-07T15:48:03Z")
No so much. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/15 "2011-10-07T15:50:47Z")
Man I guess I’ll have to really think outside the box as I haven’t gotten laid since I knocked up my old lady. I think I screwed the pooch when I hit that since she was on the other side of the aisle. Well six o one, half a dozen of the other, at the end of the day it is what it is and it’s all good right? ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/16 "2011-10-07T15:56:27Z")
Pretty much any euphemism for breasts, ‘funbags’ in particular. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/17 "2011-10-07T16:00:16Z")
There’s one that I see on Facebook more often now (I admit I may be out of the loop) and that is “FML”. No, not “family medical leave” apparently this means “fuck my life.” As in “Ugh, my mom called to yell at me again today - fml” or “Went to the grocery store and they were out of my favorite flavor of Doritos - fml” I never see it used in any meaningful way, like your kid died and you lost your job and your dog ran away. In that case, fuck your life indeed. I see it where most normal people would write “Argh!” or “Oh well…” Fuck your life, really? Please. ---
**Author:** ![Arglefraster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3bc359/32.png) [@Arglefraster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arglefraster)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/18 "2011-10-07T16:04:03Z")
“Reach out to” instead of “Contact” or “See how we can help”. Example: So-and-so is having such-and-such problem. We need to reach out to them and work on a solution. Just bugs me for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/19 "2011-10-07T16:14:29Z")
I’m not bugged by much, but “Popped the question” & “The American People” are two that grate on me. ---
**Author:** ![thatguyjeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6de8d8/32.png) [@thatguyjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thatguyjeff)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/20 "2011-10-07T16:33:20Z")
Brain fart. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875.md?page=2)