# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f07891/32.png) [@Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Plastic_Ninja)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/41 "2003-06-28T14:07:18Z")
“Boo” is a really old word. I think it may come from Cajun French. You hear it (well, I don’t know about YOU, but I hear it 🙂 ) in Louisiana a lot. Esp. by the gigantic cook who, when she saw us nearly chewing on our spoons in anticipation of what would be the most orgasmic etouffee/gumbo/crawdad combination plate, “It’s comin’, boo!” Warms the cockles of my heart, let me tell you. And yeah, it reminds me of Last Continent, but it more reminds me of: > [@](#): > > Samuel Johnson: Here it is, sir: the very cornerstone of English scholarship. This book, sir, contains every word in our beloved language. > Prince George: Hmm. > Edmund Blackadder: Every single one, sir? > J: (confidently) Every single word, sir! > E: (to Prince) Oh, well, in that case, sir, I hope you will not object if I also offer the Doctor my most enthusiastic contrafribularities. > J: What? > E: `Contrafribularites’, sir? It is a common word down our way… > J: Damn! (writes in the book) > E: Oh, I’m sorry, sir. I’m anispeptic, frasmotic, even compunctuous to have caused you such pericombobulation. > J: What? What? WHAT? > G: What are you on about, Blackadder? This is all beginning to sound a bit like dago talk to me. > E: I’m sorry, sir. I merely wished to congratulate the Doctor on not having left out a single word. (J sneers) Shall I fetch the tea, Your Highness? > G: Yes, yes! And get that damned fire up here, will you? > E: Certainly, sir. I shall return interfrastically. (exits) ---
**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, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/42 "2003-06-28T14:34:07Z")
**Fibber** , ah cool 🙂 I was on the right track so, it is however called the third here. The googling I did (afterwards of course ☹ ) suggested that the first 3 were the legislative, executive and judicial estates (have also seen the Lords Temporal the Lords Spritual and the commons) the quote is attributed to Edmund Burke. ---
**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, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/43 "2003-06-28T15:46:59Z")
Actually Iteki, every reference I’ve found for the “Third Estate” refers to it as the common people. The press/media is definately the Fourth Estate. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/44 "2003-06-28T16:07:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by moejuck \* > \*\*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”. \*\* I think this goes back a bit further than Snoop Dogg. I remember hearing a jazz side on the radio called “Don’t Shizzle the Swizzle.” Can’t find it on Yahoo!, since I don’t know how it was originally spelled. Maybe some more knowledgable Jazz Cat can step in here? ---
**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, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/45 "2003-06-28T16:24:02Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by SolGrundy \* > \*\* > 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._\* According to the native Japanese speakers I know, “otaku” is very much an insult and no one would ever use the term to refer to themselves or a friend. It is apparently a serious enough insult that the only times I have ever heard it used in conversation the speaker lowered her voice, as if she were saying something _really_ bad. The word may have been reclaimed by some hardcore fan groups within the Japanese population, but if so this usage has yet to become mainstream. ---
**Author:** ![Archergal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Archergal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archergal)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/46 "2003-06-28T16:34:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*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! \*\* Bwahahahah!! I thought _I_ was the only one who did that! I’ve mentioned buying a fish slice for a happy couple to friends and had them stare at me in non-comprehension before. ---
**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, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/47 "2003-06-28T16:41:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fibber McGee \* > \*\*Actually Iteki, every reference I’ve found for the “Third Estate” refers to it as the common people. The press/media is definately the Fourth Estate. \*\* **Fibber** , sorry for being unclear. As I tried to explain in my earlier post, the reason for the confusion is that _in Sweden the third estate is always used to refer to the media/press_. I understand having googled that in english it is called the fourth estated. Sorry again for the confusion. ---
**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, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/48 "2003-06-28T17:15:41Z")
**Hypertime** is comic book writer **Mark Waid** ’s inelegantly named reinterpretation of legendary comic book writer **Alan Moore’s** ‘The Fluke’ concept from his seminal pitch to DC Comics, _Twilight of the Gods_. When the relationship between Moore and DC finally went south, “Twilight” was left foundering in DC’s corporate vaults for about a decade – eventually key plot elements of ‘Twilight’ were used in **Waid’s** and artist **Alex Ross’s** _Kingdom Come_. When the sequel, “Kingdom” was done (without Ross; he disliked the direction if the plot), the concept of the Fluke, reused as Hypertime, was the only real, lasting element to come out of it. Hypertime would be much more widely used in the DCU had Alex Ross done the art in the “Kingdom” sequel, too. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/49 "2003-06-28T21:24:01Z")
I wonder, is it socially acceptable for a non-black person to use the term “nizzle,” considering what it means? ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/50 "2003-06-28T23:12:12Z")
\*\*My Bad. \*\* What does this mean and can we please stop using it. I thank you on both counts. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Rhosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sir\_Rhosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Rhosis)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/51 "2003-06-28T23:25:05Z")
^^^My mistake," “my faux-pas,” etc. Probably not. Sir Rhosis ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Rhosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sir\_Rhosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Rhosis)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/52 "2003-06-28T23:26:07Z")
Shit, since it went to a second page, I’ll have to explain. The above is in answer to what “My bad” means. S. R. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/53 "2003-06-29T00:04:50Z")
What does **tool** mean nowadays? It used to mean “lackey” or “asskisser”, but now it seems to mean something else, like “fool”. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/54 "2003-06-29T00:08:26Z")
I like [this](http://www.ryankeefer.com/toolstory/index.php) explanation for “tool”. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/55 "2003-06-29T00:58:43Z")
How do we get “dogs” to refer to what we used to call our “homies” or our “peeps”? And is “dogs” the current word or am I still behind in a middle class white girl kind of way? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/56 "2003-06-29T01:26:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Knowed Out \* > \*\*What does **tool** mean nowadays? It used to mean “lackey” or “asskisser”, but now it seems to mean something else, like “fool”. \*\* Way back in my college years, a tool was an extremely stupid or obnoxious guy. I never heard it referring to anyone female, and never in a joking way. I haven’t heard it used in a long time (I have no life) so I don’t know if the meaning has morphed. Julie ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/57 "2003-06-29T02:00:03Z")
**Wendell Wagner** pointed out, quite rightly, the a fish slice is a spatula, but it isn’t the long version we mostly think of today. An [antique fish slice](http://showcase.goantiques.com/detail,fish-slice,3750.html) is short-handled and looks more like a broad-bladed knife. ---
**Author:** ![Kallessa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7993a0/32.png) [@Kallessa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kallessa)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/58 "2003-06-29T02:54:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rjk \* > \*\ ***Wendell Wagner** pointed out, quite rightly, the a fish slice is a spatula, but it isn’t the long version we mostly think of today. An [antique fish slice](http://showcase.goantiques.com/detail,fish-slice,3750.html) is short-handled and looks more like a broad-bladed knife. \*\* Way cool and thanks **rjk** , I always wondered what one looked like! Maybe I’ll start giving these as wedding gifts–it would confuse the hell out of people, wouldn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Teegus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Teegus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teegus)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/59 "2003-06-29T03:40:26Z")
I would like to offer another alternate definition for **playa-hayta** In the online gaming world, certain games (including the inexplicably popular _Counter-Strike_ ) the default name for a player is “Player”. So one who’s name is just Player signifies that they are new at the game, or a **newbie/newb/n00bie/n00b**. A seasoned pro who dislikes these newbies because of their lack of experience is known as a **Player Hater/Playa Hayta** my 2c 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jack\_ss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c77e96/32.png) [@jack\_ss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jack_ss)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877/60 "2003-06-29T04:23:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zsofia \* > \*\*How do we get “dogs” to refer to what we used to call our “homies” or our “peeps”? And is “dogs” the current word or am I still behind in a middle class white girl kind of way? \*\* The dog is man’s best friend. It’s a term of endearment. Just don’t trust him to guard your food. WTF does **“Jump the Shark”** mean? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-used-in-popular-culture-that-you-dont-know-the-definition-of-explanations/184877.md?page=4)