# Phrases used in popular culture that you don't know the definition of(explanations) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 27, 2003, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877 "2003-06-27T23:09:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mirror_Image_egamI_rorriM)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/21 "2003-06-28T03:54:42Z")
“Blog” is an online journal–it’s short for “weblog.” ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/22 "2003-06-28T03:57:33Z")
[Cockblocking, definition of](http://www.geocities.com/dub80830/cockblocking.html) ---
**Author:** ![moejuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@moejuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejuck)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/23 "2003-06-28T04:00:17Z")
TJBLACK, My take on “fo shizzle my nizzle” is that it is just the new way to say “Shit my nigger!”. I could be wrong on this, since I ain’t “hip to be squared”. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/24 "2003-06-28T04:05:53Z")
[Fo snizzle, my nizzle](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fo'+shizzle+my+nizzle) For sure, my nigga. Hyperexaggerated ebonics of west coast origin, first widely used in rap from the master, **Calvin Broadus.** ( **Snopp Dogg** 2 U) ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/25 "2003-06-28T04:36:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Aslan of Narnia \* > **I was wondering what Otaku meant, I’ve heard it mentioned a lot in reference to anime. I’ve heard it being mentioned as “Otakuing out”.** Among Western anime fans, “otaku” essentially means…an anime fan. Often a particularly devoted or obsessed fan. Western anime fans often use the term to refer to themselves/each other, and many wear it like a badge of honor. It may be used synonymously with “geek” (as in “I’m a big video game geek”), and although I’ve never heard the expression “otakuing out” it’s probably the same as “geeking out” (“I was totally geeking out over the new XYZ gaming system”). > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ben \* > \*\*“Otaku” is basically an anime fan, IIUC. I believe it comes from a Japanese word for “person,” and that particular word choice is, for some reason, popular among Otaku? > \*\* According to my hallmate Emiko, “otaku” literally means something like “your house”, and by extension may mean just “you”. This is apparently a fairly obscure, overly formal, and old-fashioned term, presumably one only people who are really out of it would use in this way. The current popular meaning of the word “otaku” in Japan does not correspond to its usage by anime fans in the West. An otaku is, at best, a massive loser along the lines of Comic Book Guy from _The Simpsons_, and at worst a massive loser along the lines of Norman Bates from _Psycho_ – someone who is a potential or actual murderer, rapist, or child molestor. **Zoe** and **Mirror Image egamI rorriM** : I’ve always thought “blog” was an ugly word. Sounds like a an allergy-related problem. I’m considering attempting to advance the term “bjourn” (weBJOURNal) as a replacement. I think it has a certain Scandanavian flair. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/26 "2003-06-28T04:43:29Z")
> [@](#): > > I’m considering attempting to advance the term “bjourn” (weBJOURNal) as a replacement. Sorry. _bjourn_ is too close to **bj0rn** , and no self-respecting Doper would let that enter the general vocabulary. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/27 "2003-06-28T04:59:14Z")
Going back to “Boo” as a term of endearment – it’s ben around for years, but it was probably popularized most in 1994 by **Notorious B.I.G.** in his song/video **“Big Poppa”**. In the video, he’s wooing this fine thing with these immortal words: > [@](#): > > So we can steam on the way to the telly. go fill my belly/ A t-bone steak/ cheese eggs and Welch’s grape/ Conversate for a few cause in a few we gon’ do/ What we came to do? ain’t that right, Boo? [Truuuueee] In the video – the girl turning around to the camera and saying “True!”, rhyming off of Biggie’s “Boo” is simply irresistable. It helped single out what might have been an otherwise innocuous turn of phrase. And it’s heaps better than “Ain’t that right, 'ho?” [Yo!] ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/28 "2003-06-28T05:40:29Z")
Wrestling definitions: Jobber : A wrestler who makes a career of losing (jobbing) Worker : Synonym for wrestler, basically. You usually see it used in the context of someone being called a good or bad worker by smarks. (fans in the know, as opposed to marks, who’re “normal” fans) Face : Short for babyface. The fan-favorite, or good guy. Heel : The bad guy. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/29 "2003-06-28T07:11:34Z")
Perhaps no longer widely used in popular culture, but why, when Bertie Wooster\* heard wedding bells in the future of one of his friends, would he make a mental note to give the happy couple a fish slice? \*[sub]At the risk of over-explicating, the hapless narrator of the adventures of Jeeves the valet, as written by P. G. Wodehouse.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Kallessa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7993a0/32.png) [@Kallessa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kallessa)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/30 "2003-06-28T07:33:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kaylasdad99 \* > \*_Perhaps no longer widely used in popular culture, but why, when Bertie Wooster_ heard wedding bells in the future of one of his friends, would he make a mental note to give the happy couple a fish slice? > > \*[sub]At the risk of over-explicating, the hapless narrator of the adventures of Jeeves the valet, as written by P. G. Wodehouse.[/sub] \*\* It’s just Bertie’s standard wedding gift, his “go to” gift–some piece of serving silver, I believe. When anyone I know gets married, I make a mental note to give the happy couple a crystal vase–and I actually think about Bertie and the fish slice when I do it! ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/31 "2003-06-28T07:57:20Z")
**Hypertime** was essentially Mark Waid’s attempt to expand the science-fiction staple of alternate realities. [ul] [li]In traditional “alternate reality” scenarios, time is like a tree, with a single initial state that keeps branching and re-branching as you advance through time.[/li][li]In hypertime, time is like a series of lines travelling in parallel, all bunched together, wrapping around each other, etc. Your perspective is along one of these lines, but you can travel to another when they cross – and, _most importantly,_ jump **back** to your original line at a later moment. Inconsistencies are glossed over after-the-fact by your own cognitive dissonance.[/li][/ul] While alternate reality talks about what _might_ happen, hypertime presumes everything _does_ happen, and is limited only to what each person perceives. In truth, hypertime was a concept introduced by Mark Waid to the DC comic book universe as a way of telling all the continuity-obsessed fans to lighten up. It doesn’t matter if this month’s _JLA_ story contradicts something in _Batman_ five years ago; it can all be handwaved away as a hypertime change in time streams, which none of the characters are aware of (but the reader is). And as long as we’re tossing out goofy terms, I’m reminded of this exchange: > [@](#): > > “Er … what’s Ecksian for going mad with terrified fatigue and collapsing in a boneless heap?” > The men looked at one another. > “Isn’t that ‘snagged as a wombat’s tonker’?” > “No, no, no, that’s when you chuck a twister, isn’t it?” said Clancy. > “What? Strewth, no. Chucking a twister’s when … when you … yeah, it’s when you … yeah, it’s when your nose … Hang on, that’s ‘bend a smartie’…” > “Er–” said Rincewind, clutching his head. > “What? ‘Bend a smartie’ is when your ears get blocked underwater.” Clancy looked uncertain, and then seemed to reach a decision. “Yeah, that’s right!” > “Nah, that’s ‘gonging like a possum’s armpit,’ mate.” > “Excuse me–” said Rincewind. > “That ain’t right. ‘Gonging like a possum’s armpit’ is when you crack a crusty. When your ears are stuffed like a Mudjee’s kettle after a week of Fridays, that’s ‘stuck up like Morgan’s mule.’” > –Terry Pratchett, _The Last Continent_ ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/32 "2003-06-28T08:00:11Z")
More about _otaku_: like **Lamia** already described, _otaku_ means “house” in Japanese, and the implication is that these people are shut-ins; they spend all their time in the house watching anime or reading manga instead of getting out and proper socializing. It’s kind of like the word “geek” in English; originally of course it meant a freak or an outcast, literally, like from the circus. But fans started to use the term as a point of pride, so that “geek” is just barely an insult anymore. I’ve heard – but can’t confirm at all – that a new word has developed in Japanese to take the place of “otaku” and get it back to being genuinely offensive. It’s closer to really meaning “shut-in” instead of just implying it. I bet native speakers would be better able to answer this. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/33 "2003-06-28T08:08:25Z")
As a slight hijack, I’m pretty sure that Star Trek uses the same sort of “hypertime” that DC Comics does, as evidenced by the Voyager episode, “Year of Hell” Parts 1 and 2. In that episode, a species known as the Krenim have developed a weapon able to totally eradicate something so that it never existed. Once eradicated, the ship the Krenim were on (and was protected by its effects by chroniton shielding or somesuch technobabble) would scan the space-time continuum and I distinctly remember seeing screens moving parallel lines, twisting them this way and that, showing how the new timeline came into existance. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/34 "2003-06-28T08:08:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kallessa \* > \*\*It’s just Bertie’s standard wedding gift, his “go to” gift–some piece of serving silver, I believe. When anyone I know gets married, I make a mental note to give the happy couple a crystal vase–and I actually think about Bertie and the fish slice when I do it! \*\* Well, I guess it’s a good thing I never worked for Bertram, then. I’d have been flinging slabs of halibut left and right every June, until my employer stopped receiviing invitations. To anything, I suspect. Can anyone link to a picture of a “fish slice” as heirloom silver? ---
**Author:** ![AchimbaProphet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2bfe46/32.png) [@AchimbaProphet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AchimbaProphet)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/35 "2003-06-28T09:26:01Z")
\ Fourth Estate. What is it and what are the first through third? \ ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/36 "2003-06-28T09:42:47Z")
A fish slice is the standard British term for a spatula. Not the sort you use to stir something, but the sort you use to slide under something and flip it over. ---
**Author:** ![Iteki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eada6e/32.png) [@Iteki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iteki)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/37 "2003-06-28T13:09:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AchimbaProphet \* > \*\*\ > Fourth Estate. > > What is it and what are the first through third? > \ \*\* WAG time, but could it refer to what is in Sweden called “state power”? As in Government and Military being the first two and the “third” being the media… No idea what a fourth might be. As I understand it the “third” is used in a non-official form. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/38 "2003-06-28T13:30:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Askia \* > \*\ ***tjblack** You’ve provided about 75% of the “player-hater” definition. Let’s talk about the “player” and “hater” more. > > What people call dating, womanizing, picking up tricks, balling at the club – it’s all just a game. A true **player** excels at the game, usually by morphing himself at whatever time he chooses as whatever he _thinks_ the woman wants to see, hear, believe. Yes, a player is a manipulative liar: he has to be. A true player is largely inaccessible, unknowable, highly desirable and everywhere. My own personal definition of “players” is that they are males or lesbians with doggish male tendencies. > > Now, a **hater** is someone in the game-- typically male but not always-- who’s no damn GOOD at the game, who knows a player and TRIES to fuck a player’s game: i.e., calling him out on lies, telling the girl about his past dealings with women, getting in his business, or outright lying on the man and trading on his dubious reputation. These actions, in the game, are a huge no-no. You cannot call yourself somebody’s friend and player hate. > > **Player hating** is not to be confused with **cockblocking** , in which two or more males vie for a woman’s attentions and affections using every trick in the book they can think of, legit and dirty. \*\* The meaning of "playa hatin’ " has extended somewhat. I’ve heard it used approximately as “behaving like a wet blanket.” An example would be if four teenage boys are out carousing, and three of them decide to sneak into an over-21 club. If the fourth boy has cold feet and would rather not go into the club, and furthermore attempts to convince his friends to avoid the club and to go and do something else, his friends may accuse him of "playa hatin’ ". Another example – a painting crew is instructed by the boss to finish painting this certain wall by noon. At 9:30, four of this painting crew are engaged in a game of spades. The other two guys on the crew, on the other hand, are hard at work painting the wall. If the conciencious painters tell the card players to quit their game and get to painting, they may be accused of "playa hatin’ ". “Cockblocking” also has another meaning – albeit a closely related one. It can refer to someone _inadvertently_ ruining your chances with a woman, especially by being dorky or annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Tir\_Tinuviel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@Tir\_Tinuviel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tir_Tinuviel)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/39 "2003-06-28T13:38:44Z")
“Word” or “Word to your Mother” is not meant to imply rudeness or lewd acts… (Heh, Vanilla Ice used “Word to yo’ Mumma” in Ice Ice Baby, he was too sweeeeeeet to be implying anything naughty!) It’s a term of agreement eg - “This song rawks” - “word!” or you could say “this song is Word!” meaning the song is cool. A exclaimation of surprise or “are you serious” eg - “I got laid last night” - “word?” Or a general greating, noise phrase. “Sup? Word to yo’ Mother” There is a very particular hand gesture assocaited with “Word” (as these things tend to be). Hold (left) hand in front of you, palm inwards, place fingers in a “Live long and prosper” gesture, tilt hand downwards and flick. The sad thing is, this late 80’s term is still used where I live, seems the Barnet massive think they’re “Gangstah Rappahz” or something. ---
**Author:** ![Fibber\_McGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a6a055/32.png) [@Fibber\_McGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fibber_McGee)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/40 "2003-06-28T13:55:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Iteki \* > \*\*WAG time, but could it refer to what is in Sweden called “state power”? As in Government and Military being the first two and the “third” being the media… No idea what a fourth might be. As I understand it the “third” is used in a non-official form. \*\* Nope, it’s actually the press that’s the Fourth Estate. Found a good definition here: [http://www.uwgb.edu/4e/4-10opinion4eexplainedagain.htm](http://www.uwgb.edu/4e/4-10opinion4eexplainedagain.htm) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877.md?page=3)