# 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:** 2
**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, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/21 "2011-10-07T16:36:53Z")
Don’t go there. ---
**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, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/22 "2011-10-07T16:40:05Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > 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. Yes. It goes along with the reality show staple “I’m not here to make friends.” ---
**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, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/23 "2011-10-07T16:41:30Z")
> [@thatguyjeff](#): > > Brain fart. Yep! Awful. And I remember when FTW meant fuck the world. Now it apparently stands for the truly horrible “for the win!” ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/24 "2011-10-07T16:42:37Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > I know, right? It seems like I’ve suddenly (last 6 months or so) been hearing this one everywhere. I’m just kind of perplexed by it. It’s like everyone at once decided it was the right way to signal agreement. ---
**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, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/25 "2011-10-07T16:46:24Z")
> [@colonial](#): > > **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 > . A hot girl walks by and one dude says to the other “I’d hit that.” Meaning he’d do her. The same as “tap that.” ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/26 "2011-10-07T16:46:43Z")
[Shooting Fish In The Barrel, Why Is It That? (5:44am) - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63Y5XjlO4vk) \<–video ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/27 "2011-10-07T16:48:54Z")
> [@Arglefraster](#): > > “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. I’ve seen “reach out to” used quite a lot lately in conjunction with trying to sell something. “I was reaching out to you to see if you might be interested in our Product X.” Ick. Keep your reaching out to your damn self. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/28 "2011-10-07T16:55:56Z")
“That being said…” usually followed by something completely contradictary to what they just said. “Kick Rocks” - favorite saying of that clown Kasey on Bachelor Pad. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/29 "2011-10-07T18:58:58Z")
These expressions aren’t how I roll. ---
**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, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/30 "2011-10-07T19:18:15Z")
Oh, forgot one: “It’s a \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ thing, you wouldn’t understand” Thankfully it seems to be fading away, because the condescension in it makes me see red. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/31 "2011-10-07T19:18:34Z")
**It’s a no-brainer.** I can’t articulate how much I hate this phrase. **Preggers, hubby** , and **baby bump** – just stop. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/32 "2011-10-07T19:32:27Z")
I instantly hate anybody who uses the phrase “for shits and giggles”. Ugh. I don’t even like typing it. Also the aforementioned “brain fart”, just about the ugliest phrase ever invented. ---
**Author:** ![loshan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce73a5/32.png) [@loshan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/loshan)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/33 "2011-10-07T19:37:52Z")
I know, right. How’s that working for ya? I have a (48 yo) friend who says both these all the damned time. Makes me want to punch her. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/34 "2011-10-07T19:41:31Z")
Attention, old people: “turned on” no longer means to be made aware of. Stop saying someone turned you on to something. It sounds gross- you’re old, and I don’t want to think of you being turned on. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![brainstall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@brainstall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainstall)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/35 "2011-10-07T19:47:44Z")
…and whatnot Suddenly I’m hearing this all the time and it grates on my every time. ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/36 "2011-10-07T19:49:03Z")
“Touch base.” This saying makes my teeth hurt and my skin crawl. But it’s funny: years ago I met some really nice ladies on a train to San Antonio, TX. The tracks got flooded around Dallas so Amtrak put everyone on buses for the rest of the trip. The one lady said “When we get there we’ll touch bases.” - and that didn’t bug me. It was like the “s” negated the annoyance. I also agree with “At the end of the day” and “FTW” - when I was a kid that meant “Fuck the World”, now it’s “For the Win” - WTF? ---
**Author:** ![perfectparanoia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a5b964/32.png) [@perfectparanoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/perfectparanoia)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/37 "2011-10-07T20:32:02Z")
The wife. How about ‘my wife’ or her name? It just seems so impersonal. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/38 "2011-10-07T20:51:15Z")
“Hit the ref” in the context of hockey games. Do you realize how many games that player would be suspended if he did hit the ref? Idiot. Our team owner did moon the refs once after a really badly called game. ---
**Author:** ![RadicalPi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/radicalpi/32/9806_2.png) [@RadicalPi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadicalPi)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/39 "2011-10-07T21:00:07Z")
A lot of people seem to take considerable grammatical umbrage at the phrase “I could care less.” I don’t, but I know that this is something that really gets to people. ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875/40 "2011-10-07T22:33:40Z")
> [@colonial](#): > > **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. I also hate this term, but maybe not for the same reason as you. I don’t find it cold and feeling-less, but a “significant other” should mean anybody you have some sort of personal relationship with, not necessarily your romantic partner. But now it’s all it means. It’s even worse when it’s shortened to SO. Also DH for “dear husband”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-hated-idioms/598875.md?page=3)