# Need examples of things that aren't what their name implies **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 27, 2011, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432 "2011-05-27T15:14:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/101 "2011-05-31T06:36:48Z")
down escalator ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/102 "2011-05-31T14:24:44Z")
Restroom ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/103 "2011-05-31T14:38:53Z")
> [@Bookkeeper](#): > > But all of these are examples of modern items retaining the name of the materials they were originally made from. Did anyone ever really write with real chalk? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/104 "2011-05-31T14:46:11Z")
Geoducks are not ducks. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/105 "2011-05-31T14:54:33Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Geoducks are not ducks. They do look gooey, though. Ew. ---
**Author:** ![JohnnyMac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@JohnnyMac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnnyMac)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/106 "2011-05-31T15:06:03Z")
> [@Romeo\_and\_Whatsherface](#): > > Is there some way the Brits distinguish these muffins from the unfrosted cupcake-style quick bread Americans refer to as “muffins,” or how do we know the Muffin Man sold this kind of muffin? It seems to me I’ve read British novels that refer to chocolate muffins. Also, I’ve always heard that English muffins are actually a bad take on crumpets. Not so? It’s usually obvious from context. Sometimes I say “muffin, like a cupcake”, if I want to be very clear (and I’m talking about the US version). Crumpets are different. ---
**Author:** ![Oglomott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oglomott/32/3543_2.png) [@Oglomott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oglomott)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/107 "2011-05-31T15:08:48Z")
A Mexican jumping bean is not a bean - it’s a seed pod with the larva from a moth inside. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/108 "2011-05-31T16:13:14Z")
[Bombay duck](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombay_duck) is actually a type of dried fish. ---
**Author:** ![mrklutz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@mrklutz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrklutz)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/109 "2011-05-31T17:26:53Z")
A stopcock is neither a contraceptive nor a chastity device. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/110 "2011-05-31T17:30:26Z")
Did you guys just do this girl’s homework for her? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/111 "2011-05-31T17:39:33Z")
> [@picunurse](#): > > Did you guys just do this girl’s homework for her? Possibly. But she’s got over 6,000 posts on varied subjects here, so it wasn’t a glaringly obvious homework question OP like the infamous \*To Kill a Mockingbird \*one. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/112 "2011-05-31T18:46:15Z")
> [@mrklutz](#): > > A stopcock is neither a contraceptive nor a chastity device. But is does stop something, and if placed in an… unconventional… location it could stop a cock, and thus also function as a contraceptive. ---
**Author:** ![mrklutz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@mrklutz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrklutz)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/113 "2011-05-31T19:05:17Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > But is does stop something, and if placed in an… unconventional… location it could stop a cock, and thus also function as a contraceptive. I believe that’s what pharmacists would call an off-label usage. Also, OW! ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/114 "2011-05-31T19:07:04Z")
Fortunately you don’t need a prescription for one. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/115 "2011-06-01T00:06:11Z")
Spotted dick. _“I never saw a spotted dick/nor do I hope to see one…”_ ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/116 "2011-06-01T00:21:05Z")
We got coconut and pineapple, but not grapefruit. Catgut is, in fact, usually made from gut, but our kitties are still safe. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/117 "2011-06-01T01:40:42Z")
> [@AnalogSignal](#): > > Restroom Certain clenched muscles are allowed to rest there. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/118 "2011-06-01T02:17:05Z")
Eggplants are not eggs, but they are at least plants. A [boiled baby](http://www.wwnorton.com/pob/spottedd/pubpud.htm) is mercifully, not a scalded infant. An express lane usually isn’t. Blueprints are rarely blue any more. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/119 "2011-06-01T03:00:29Z")
Generally, people don’t sell garages at garage sales. A computer mouse is not a mouse. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/120 "2011-06-01T03:09:05Z")
> [@TokyoPlayer](#): > > Cat walk. A cat walk is for walking, and while not literally _for_ cats, it’s walking in a place (high and narrow) and of a nature (stealthy, good for observing those below) that cats are inclined to. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432.md?page=7)