# Oh-dark-hundred **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 6, 2007, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-dark-hundred/399044 "2007-04-06T22:53:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-dark-hundred/399044/1 "2007-04-06T22:53:32Z")
A co-worker just asked me when I was leaving town on vacation, and I replied “tomorrow…oh-dark-hundred”. She had never heard that phrase, and thought it was the funniest thing ever. Is this an uncommon term? (meaning “early in the morning”, in pseudo-military time) ---
**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:** [April 6, 2007, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-dark-hundred/399044/2 "2007-04-06T22:56:42Z")
I’ve heard it. I’ve said it. I was in the Navy, so I’m not typical. Actually, what I’ve said is oh-dark-thirty. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-dark-hundred/399044/3 "2007-04-06T22:56:44Z")
I’ve never heard it before. But it does have a certain something. Where’d you pick it up from? ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-dark-hundred/399044/4 "2007-04-06T23:00:46Z")
When referencing odd or early hours I always use “Oh-stupid-thirty”. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-dark-hundred/399044/5 "2007-04-06T23:10:58Z")
My sister used to use it. She was never in the military. I like it. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-dark-hundred/399044/6 "2007-04-06T23:13:36Z")
It is not uncommon where I grew up, in PA. ---
**Author:** ![Ol\_Gaffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Ol\_Gaffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ol_Gaffer)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-dark-hundred/399044/7 "2007-04-06T23:14:40Z")
I use it and I’ve never been in the military. I also use “beer-thirty” for drinkin’ time, whenever that may be. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-dark-hundred/399044/8 "2007-04-06T23:58:26Z")
I use it, more often use “Dark-thirty” and “beer-thirty”. Now that you mention it, I might have picked it up from veterans. It’s mostly used when camping, 'cause it makes sense. “When’s dinner?” “Oh-dark-hunnert, be back at the tent.” “Hey, what time’s it?” “Well, we just finished chopping firewood and the taters are in the fire. Figure that means it’s beer-thirty!” No one needs a watch. (Why yes, I do turn southernfied when I go camping.) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2007, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-dark-hundred/399044/9 "2007-04-07T00:02:11Z")
“Oh-dark-thirty” has been in use around here for years, but I recall learning the phrase from family in the military. ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2007, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-dark-hundred/399044/10 "2007-04-07T00:06:19Z")
We use Zero-dark-thirty. I wa an Air Force brat. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2007, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-dark-hundred/399044/11 "2007-04-07T00:14:34Z")
I always assumed that “dark” was a euphemism, as I first heard the expression as “oh-f\*\*\*-hundred.” ---
**Author:** ![quilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/839c29/32.png) [@quilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quilter)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2007, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-dark-hundred/399044/12 "2007-04-07T00:32:54Z")
[QUOTE=Cub Mistress] We use Zero-dark-thirty. I wa an Air Force brat. [/QUOTE] Zero-dark-thirty here, too. “Oh” is a letter – not an hour or number – after all! (ex-husband was a pilot) ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2007, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-dark-hundred/399044/13 "2007-04-07T00:45:37Z")
another o-dark-30 vote here. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2007, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-dark-hundred/399044/14 "2007-04-07T00:59:43Z")
o-dark-30 here. Never heard the “hundred” part until now. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2007, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-dark-hundred/399044/15 "2007-04-07T01:14:21Z")
I’ve heard both stupid o’clock and beer o’clock, but not with the thirty. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2007, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-dark-hundred/399044/16 "2007-04-07T01:41:10Z")
Oh-dark-hundred or varients fall in the category of expressions that I think I’ve been exposed to somewhere, probably from a veteran or associate/relative of a veteran. Doubt I’ve ever had reason to use them, but I wouldn’t think they were particularly clever turns of phrase either. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2007, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-dark-hundred/399044/17 "2007-04-07T02:02:17Z")
Until someone used “oh-dark-thirty” here a couple of weeks ago, I’d never heard it before. Obviously, I’d never heard this variation either. My grampy was a marine, but you’d have never known if from talking to him. ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2007, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-dark-hundred/399044/18 "2007-04-07T02:08:39Z")
[shrugs] Army. ---
**Author:** ![stretch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@stretch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stretch)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2007, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-dark-hundred/399044/19 "2007-04-07T02:28:53Z")
O-dark-thirty. Never heard of hundred used. Picked it up from my boss who is former Air Force. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2007, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-dark-hundred/399044/20 "2007-04-07T03:03:54Z")
[QUOTE=jsc1953] A co-worker just asked me when I was leaving town on vacation, and I replied “tomorrow…oh-dark-hundred”. She had never heard that phrase, and thought it was the funniest thing ever. Is this an uncommon term? (meaning “early in the morning”, in pseudo-military time) [/QUOTE] This is the first time I’ve ever heard it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-dark-hundred/399044.md?page=2)