# Sounds like a euphamism, but isn't **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 13, 2003, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sounds-like-a-euphamism-but-isnt/161006 "2003-03-13T02:21:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kn\_ckers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/96bed5/32.png) [@Kn\_ckers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kn_ckers)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sounds-like-a-euphamism-but-isnt/161006/21 "2003-03-13T20:16:05Z")
It’s time for the “7th inning stretch,” If you know what I mean (and I think you do). Kn(Nudge’s as good as a wink to a blind bat!)ckers ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sounds-like-a-euphamism-but-isnt/161006/22 "2003-03-13T21:10:01Z")
Multi-tasking. ---
**Author:** ![greck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ab992/32.png) [@greck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greck)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sounds-like-a-euphamism-but-isnt/161006/23 "2003-03-13T21:37:50Z")
I actually had a friend with a monkey, and it was bad, and he had to discipline it sometimes… If you know what I nudge/wink ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sounds-like-a-euphamism-but-isnt/161006/24 "2003-03-13T21:51:05Z")
I was doing some training in Sweden, and the guys I was working with asked if they could take a break and go over the material in Swedish. What they actually said was “We want to have a Swedish Review” to which I answered “In the US, that would involve naked women…” I explained for about 5 minutes, and then hilarity ensued. You had to be there. Nevermind. Tuna Helper ---
**Author:** ![DAVEW0071](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e19b73/32.png) [@DAVEW0071](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DAVEW0071)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sounds-like-a-euphamism-but-isnt/161006/25 "2003-03-13T22:47:17Z")
If you’re in the proper frame of mind, almost any common phrase can sound dirty. “Rotating my tires.” “Flipping burgers.” “Opening a can of hash.” “Hi-octane.” “Trimming the tree.” Sometimes it’s the phrase itself, I’ll admit (I mean, mounting someone’s hard drive…yeesh!). But if you’ve decided to notice it, anything can seem dirty. ---
**Author:** ![Taran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Taran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taran)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sounds-like-a-euphamism-but-isnt/161006/26 "2003-03-13T22:59:40Z")
In a computer science lecture: “…each girl gives a boy the optimum…” It’s better than learning how to get\_head(), I guess. ---
**Author:** ![lightingtool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/57b2e6/32.png) [@lightingtool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lightingtool)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sounds-like-a-euphamism-but-isnt/161006/27 "2003-03-13T23:36:22Z")
Sorry, these are work-related “Adjusting the focus nob” IYKWIM “Running out the Barrel” IYKWIM And, my alltime favorite, after finishing a lighting hang, I can announce that we did a good job hanging the lights, yes, we are: “well hung.” tee hee heeeee. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sounds-like-a-euphamism-but-isnt/161006/28 "2003-03-14T00:54:10Z")
Cocktails. Fluffernutter. Fudge brownies. Floppy disk. Tight end. Lake Titicaca. ---
**Author:** ![TheFunkySpaceCowboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9a28c/32.png) [@TheFunkySpaceCowboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFunkySpaceCowboy)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sounds-like-a-euphamism-but-isnt/161006/29 "2003-03-14T01:13:55Z")
A former coworker once sent me into a spasmodic giggle fit with the statement: “I’ll just use the non-penetrating roof mount.” He was talking about the free standing antenna mount mast we had sitting on the roof, he was testing some wireless ethernet eqiupment with it. I just happened to be in one of those moods and just couldn’t stop laughing. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sounds-like-a-euphamism-but-isnt/161006/30 "2003-03-14T01:17:48Z")
I just asked a visiting manager if he’d seen the banana I left him. Double entendre ensued (my pointing out that they made no sense since I’m female didn’t help any.) ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sounds-like-a-euphamism-but-isnt/161006/31 "2003-03-14T04:19:01Z")
Butt Splice (a wiring connector) Hex Nipple (a plumbing fitting) Gas Box (a cylinder storage cabinet) Four Point Probe (a wafer measurement tool) And my all time favorite: Butt Lapping (a silicon wafer grinding method) ---
**Author:** ![bjohn13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@bjohn13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bjohn13)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sounds-like-a-euphamism-but-isnt/161006/32 "2003-03-14T11:53:19Z")
A couple more work related “euphenisms” I always feel a little uncomfortable when someone uses “male-female” terminology when talking about electrical connectors. “just stick the male end into the female end, and you are done”. That is not even mentioning that there are many types of connectors where it is tough to tell which is the “insertion” end and which is the “insertee” end. Furthermore, it sounds pretty stupid when I ask, “what makes it male”. Some comment about birds and bees always ensues. But my favorite came from a lady who was calling our office to complain about one of our technicians. Her exact words were, “Your guy was here yesterday and he cracked my bush.” A little advice to everyone. I don’t care how much damage someone has done to your shrubs, never claim that he “cracked your bush”. ---
**Author:** ![Jammers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a183cd/32.png) [@Jammers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jammers)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sounds-like-a-euphamism-but-isnt/161006/33 "2003-03-14T12:39:39Z")
Undertaker. (Accompanied by"fisting" motion) ---
**Author:** ![Kn\_ckers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/96bed5/32.png) [@Kn\_ckers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kn_ckers)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sounds-like-a-euphamism-but-isnt/161006/34 "2003-03-14T15:03:08Z")
**bjohn** - the bush-cracking story made me laugh so hard I teared up. 😃 Just for that: “dipstick” ---
**Author:** ![Coilean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f6c823/32.png) [@Coilean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coilean)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sounds-like-a-euphamism-but-isnt/161006/35 "2003-03-14T15:04:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DAVEW0071 \* > \*\*If you’re in the proper frame of mind, almost any common phrase can sound dirty… > > “Opening a can of hash.”\*\* Actually, that sounds disgusting. I don’t think I’d want to be on the receiving end of anything that could be likened to hash (other than hash). [semantic nitpick] I don’t think euphemism is the correct word for what y’all are describing here. How 'bout innuendo? [/sn] ---
**Author:** ![Pabitel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbce88/32.png) [@Pabitel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pabitel)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sounds-like-a-euphamism-but-isnt/161006/36 "2003-03-14T16:17:32Z")
Roll up the Rim to Win! ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sounds-like-a-euphamism-but-isnt/161006/37 "2003-03-14T16:32:03Z")
I think this is another one from Letterman’s Top Ten List that I always remembered: “shaking hands with President Lincoln” ---
**Author:** ![Shark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/73ab20/32.png) [@Shark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sounds-like-a-euphamism-but-isnt/161006/38 "2003-03-14T17:41:23Z")
Here’s a chemistry term that only after 15 years in the field can I say in mixed company without at least a smile: Mother liquor ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sounds-like-a-euphamism-but-isnt/161006/39 "2003-03-14T17:45:07Z")
Wankel rotary engine. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sounds-like-a-euphamism-but-isnt/161006.md?page=1)