# Reference books exist, people! (mild, swear-free) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 11, 2004, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reference-books-exist-people-mild-swear-free/249795 "2004-06-11T10:57:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reference-books-exist-people-mild-swear-free/249795/101 "2004-06-13T16:36:41Z")
I am blown away by this. I have only ever used the phrase “another thing coming.” I have heard “another think” before, but I assumed it was very much a Winnie- the-Poohesque play on “another thing.” In that way, I can only see “another think” developing later as a play on the original. “Another thing coming” makes perfect sense in reference to the expected outcome. It means “Get ready for a surprise, because what you expect to happen is not going to happen. Something else is.” Generally, in my experience, it is used by frustrated parents: “If you’re expecting me to give you $10 at the video arcade, you’ve got another thing coming.” ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reference-books-exist-people-mild-swear-free/249795/102 "2004-06-13T16:42:57Z")
> [@Hentor the Barbarian](#): > > I am blown away by this. I have only ever used the phrase “another thing coming.” I have heard “another think” before, but I assumed it was very much a Winnie- the-Poohesque play on “another thing.” In that way, I can only see “another think” developing later as a play on the original. Same here except the opposite way. The first time I heard the “thing” variant was upon seeing the aforementioned Judas Priest video. Even then I thought they were doing a play on words. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reference-books-exist-people-mild-swear-free/249795/103 "2004-06-13T21:40:53Z")
And those last two posts tell you all you need to know about this debate, I think 😉 ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reference-books-exist-people-mild-swear-free/249795/104 "2004-06-14T04:55:21Z")
> [@](#): > > In other news, I have a question about “Moot point.” Moot, in this case, means meaningless or irrelevant. However, for centuries before it aquired this meaning, it was a noun which meant a meeting in which villagers decided on various courses of action for the community. A town hall meeting today could be considered a moot. Hall moot, shire moot, hundred moot, Ent moot. > > Do these words have the same root? When and why did the meaning change? Blame the law students: [Random House Word Maven: Moot](http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=20010319) [The Word Detective: Moot](http://www.word-detective.com/back-j2.html#moot) [World Wide Words: Moot](http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-moo1.htm) ---
**Author:** ![easy\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb8c5e/32.png) [@easy\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/easy_e)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reference-books-exist-people-mild-swear-free/249795/105 "2004-06-15T01:03:20Z")
It’s a slight hijack, but I saw “toot sweet” on the boards last night. It’s toute suite! ---
**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 15, 2004, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reference-books-exist-people-mild-swear-free/249795/106 "2004-06-15T12:01:11Z")
> [@easy e](#): > > It’s a slight hijack, but I saw “toot sweet” on the boards last night. > > It’s toute suite! Close … _tout de suite_. ---
**Author:** ![easy\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb8c5e/32.png) [@easy\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/easy_e)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reference-books-exist-people-mild-swear-free/249795/107 "2004-06-15T12:30:00Z")
Somehow, I knew that was going to get me. I was checking French phrase books but couldn’t find it, so I trusted an online reference. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reference-books-exist-people-mild-swear-free/249795.md?page=5)