# Question Please-What does Straight Dope Mean?\[edited title\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 8, 2010, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750 "2010-05-08T16:29:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [May 8, 2010, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/21 "2010-05-08T21:57:13Z")
> [@Rich-Lazy-Guy](#): > > May I ask. > What straight dope mean ? > I heard the black guy on American Idol saying everything is dope meaning I think good? Oddly enough, the word “dope” has several different, slangy meanings that don’t seem to have much to do with one another. “Dope” can mean information, especially inside information. This is the sense of the word used in the idiomatic phrase “the straight dope,” (which, as **Mangetout** explained, means the honest truth or the real facts of the matter), which was taken as the title of the newspaper column that led to this website (as **Wendell Wagner** explained). “Dope” can mean drugs (especially but not only “recreational” drugs such as marijuana). A “dope” (noun) can mean a fool or stupid person. But “dope” (adjective) can mean excellent or cool—which is how the word was used in your American Idol example. So, calling someone “dope” is a complement, but calling them **a** dope is an insult. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/22 "2010-05-08T22:02:19Z")
‘Dope’ can also mean a kind of paint, which is used on fabric-covered aircraft to tighten and protect the surfaces. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/23 "2010-05-08T22:02:59Z")
> [@Rich-Lazy-Guy](#): > > [SIZE=2]Egypt [/SIZE] (lack of emphasis mine :D) I’ll be arriving in Cairo on Jun 28 for about 10 days. See you then. ---
**Author:** ![statsman1982](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@statsman1982](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/statsman1982)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/24 "2010-05-08T22:06:16Z")
> [@Rich-Lazy-Guy](#): > > Egypt Why are you yelling? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/25 "2010-05-08T22:11:39Z")
Also, the fact that the initial attack of the war occurred on Yom Kippur is significant. The intent was to catch the Israelis off guard by attacking on a major Jewish holiday. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/26 "2010-05-08T22:25:59Z")
I’ve always found it amusing when history books refer to the Yom Kippur attack, or the Tet Offensive in Vietnam, as a dastardly ploy, but the same books refer to Washington’s Christmas Day attack on Trenton as brilliant strategy. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/27 "2010-05-08T22:48:51Z")
Eh, the Battle of Trenton happened the day _after_ Christmas. The British were not celebrating Christmas Mass at the time. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/28 "2010-05-09T00:01:10Z")
> [@statsman1982](#): > > Why are you yelling? Maybe he’s hard-of-hearing. ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/29 "2010-05-09T00:17:26Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > “Dope” can mean drugs (especially but not only “recreational” drugs such as marijuana). I think heroin is more common as the drug referred to. Certainly, the term “[dopesick](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Dopesick)” is never used for marijuana withdrawal. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/30 "2010-05-09T00:39:05Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’ve always found it amusing when history books refer to the Yom Kippur attack, or the Tet Offensive in Vietnam, as a dastardly ploy, but the same books refer to Washington’s Christmas Day attack on Trenton as brilliant strategy. Don’t forget Pearl Harbor! Seriously, it took me several minutes to realize that the OP meant that “Yom Kippur” isn’t English. You’ve got to love our gluttonous, omnivorous language. ---
**Author:** ![HardlySanguine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HardlySanguine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HardlySanguine)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/31 "2010-05-09T01:37:48Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Seriously, it took me several minutes to realize that the OP meant that “Yom Kippur” isn’t English. You’ve got to love our gluttonous, \*\*omnivorous \*\*language. . . . Dare I ask? ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/32 "2010-05-09T02:28:23Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > Eh, the Battle of Trenton happened the day _after_ Christmas. The British were not celebrating Christmas Mass at the time. Nope, they were hung over, which is better. ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/33 "2010-05-09T03:31:12Z")
> [@HardlySanguine](#): > > . . . Dare I ask? See **jayjay** ’s post. English will devour any vocabulary too slow to get out of its way. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/34 "2010-05-09T03:36:45Z")
As to the religious orientation of this board, a few recent polls that should be taken as suggestive, but far from definitive: [Specific beliefs](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=533099). [General beliefs](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=559551). [Degree of religiosity](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=558812). ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/35 "2010-05-09T04:40:33Z")
Peg dope is stuff string instrument players use to prevent tuning pegs from slipping or sticking. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/36 "2010-05-09T06:31:26Z")
The word “doping” is also used to describe changing the chemical composition of glass with other compounds. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/37 "2010-05-09T21:39:19Z")
Must have missed the October War part… I was tired. 😃 > [@Rich-Lazy-Guy](#): > > Kippor is a Hebrew word means I think forgiveness and it is a feast according to the Hebrew calender. Nitpick: Fast, not feast. And it’s the holiest day of the year, with even secular Jews turning off their electricity. That’s why Israel was attacked on that day… Most people weren’t listening to their radio, and were weak and tired from fasting. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/38 "2010-05-10T02:15:02Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > “English doesn’t _borrow_ words from foreign languages. It follows those languages into dark alleys, knocks them out with a club, and riffles through their pockets.” Other languages could benefit from taking English expressions as well. Perhaps then French could finally have a word for entrepreneur. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/39 "2010-05-10T04:03:17Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > A “dope” (noun) can mean a fool or stupid person. But “dope” (adjective) can mean excellent or cool—which is how the word was used in your American Idol example. So, calling someone “dope” is a complement, but calling them **a** dope is an insult. Somewhat the reverse of how shit is bad but **the** shit is good. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/40 "2010-05-10T04:29:46Z")
> [@Lord\_Mondegreen](#): > > Other languages could benefit from taking English expressions as well. Perhaps then French could finally have a word for entrepreneur. isn’t it illegal for them to take on English words? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750.md?page=3)