# sucking vs blowing **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 6, 2000, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sucking-vs-blowing/44381 "2000-12-06T21:42:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sucking-vs-blowing/44381/21 "2000-12-07T14:16:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by morris \* > **There is a visual difference: cheeks inflated in the act of blowing versus cheeks dimpled when sucking.** I thought this was about sex. Well, I was hoping. Unless you’re really trying to induce a hickey, or an embolism, you probably shouldn’t suck or blow too much. Otherwise, you’re talking “violence,” which everyone knows is the obverse of sex–which is perverse. Oh, ho, this isn’t GQ or MPSIMS, it’s IMHO! ---
**Author:** ![c\_goat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@c\_goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_goat)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sucking-vs-blowing/44381/22 "2000-12-07T14:36:21Z")
“It’s MegaMaid ™! She’s gone from SUCK to BLOW!” Two distinct meanings of the word there. I never thought of something “blows” as being what we do with out mouth and some air. More like blown up, ie exploded, ie bad. (Not Michael Jackson bad, regular bad). Oh forget it, now I’m confused. So basically, “that blows”, means “that should be exploded to pieces because it’s so ungood”. I can’t figure out why something “sucks” though. This probably didn’t help at all. ---
**Author:** ![LMacG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@LMacG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LMacG)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sucking-vs-blowing/44381/23 "2000-12-07T15:50:51Z")
I’ve spent the last several minutes searching around [Everything](http://www.everything2.com) for some discussion of the etymology of the words in question, but haven’t turned up a thing. Lots of fun stuff to read, but none of it germane to the OP. Of course, there’s hardly ever a time that the Simpsons can’t add to a discussion. For example, young Bart once said [“I didn’t think it was physically possible, but this both sucks, and blows.”](http://www.slonet.org/~rloomis/simp193.wav) ---
**Author:** ![peace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@peace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peace)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sucking-vs-blowing/44381/24 "2000-12-07T16:38:41Z")
Morris, you are correct about cheeks position during regular blowing and sucking. With more experience you will learn that vigourous ckeek activity has nothing to do wiht expertly performed oral sex. You probably watch too much adult movies, where they show cheeks, as inside of the mouth and the glans are invisible. Now you know why they put this warning: you’ve got to be certain age to understand fine details, otherwise porno will only be your masturbation device, not refine entertainment, as originally intended. So, again: Dizzie Gillespie’s cheeks were huge, Satchmor’s were not. Both were good trumpet players. Cheek movement is secondary, do not take it as the sign of a good performer. We tend to make our judgement based on results, not on unimportant cheek movement. Everyone can blow her cheeks, STS. It ain’t important. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sucking-vs-blowing/44381/25 "2000-12-07T18:29:15Z")
> [@](#): > > “It’s MegaMaid ™! She’s gone from SUCK to BLOW!” Sorry to hijack, but… That’s among the funniest lines on a cartoon I’ve heard in a long time. Unfortunately, I can’t remember what cartoon it was. Could you please refresh my memory? Thanks… Oh, just to add something meaningful to the post… I guess we use the phrase ‘That sucks’ when something is unpleasant because, usually, when one is sucking (giving head, that is) he/she is in, what could be considered, a lowly position at the time. Juanita ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sucking-vs-blowing/44381/26 "2000-12-07T19:08:53Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by JuanitaTech \* \*\* > [@](#): > > Oh, just to add something meaningful to the post… I guess we use the phrase ‘That sucks’ when something is unpleasant because, usually, when one is sucking (giving head, that is) he/she is in, what could be considered, a lowly position at the time.\*\* It’s worse than that. Or else why would the phrase “fucking idiot” be so popular? Wasn’t it Lenny Bruce who tried to popularize the insult “unfuck you?” ---
**Author:** ![Trout\_Mask\_Replica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a88e57/32.png) [@Trout\_Mask\_Replica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trout_Mask_Replica)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sucking-vs-blowing/44381/27 "2000-12-07T19:17:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JuanitaTech \* > **That’s among the funniest lines on a cartoon I’ve heard in a long time. Unfortunately, I can’t remember what cartoon it was. Could you please refresh my memory?** [Here you go.](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0094012) ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sucking-vs-blowing/44381/28 "2000-12-07T19:44:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RM Mentock \* > \*\*Wasn’t it Lenny Bruce who tried to popularize the insult “unfuck you?” \*\* I thought it was George Carlin. ---
**Author:** ![monkeylucifer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@monkeylucifer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monkeylucifer)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sucking-vs-blowing/44381/29 "2000-12-07T21:14:35Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by RM Mentock \* \*\* > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JuanitaTech \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > Oh, just to add something meaningful to the post… I guess we use the phrase ‘That sucks’ when something is unpleasant because, usually, when one is sucking (giving head, that is) he/she is in, what could be considered, a lowly position at the time.\*\* > > It’s worse than that. Or else why would the phrase “fucking idiot” be so popular? Wasn’t it Lenny Bruce who tried to popularize the insult “unfuck you?” \*\* Or how about the omni-present **“Mean People Suck”** bumpersticker. This makes absolutely no sense to me, because if they’re “sucking”, then aren’t they pleasuring someone or at the worst, something? Perhaps it should be **“Mean People Suck, But Use Their Teeth”**? That seems more appropriate…unless you actually _like_ that kinda thing! ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sucking-vs-blowing/44381/30 "2000-12-07T21:27:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kinsey \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by RM Mentock \* > > \*\*Wasn’t it Lenny Bruce who tried to popularize the insult “unfuck you?” \*\* > > I thought it was George Carlin. \*\* Yeah, you’re probably right. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sucking-vs-blowing/44381/31 "2000-12-07T22:18:28Z")
I’m probably hijacking again, but… I guess this thread is along the lines of insulting someone by calling them a dick. I love dicks. They’re among my favorite things. Don’t get me wrong, I still feel insulted if someone calls me a dick. I think it’s because I know their intention was to insult me, though. Just more of my inane ramblings… ---
**Author:** ![sewalk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@sewalk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sewalk)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sucking-vs-blowing/44381/32 "2000-12-07T22:40:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Astroboy14 \* > \*\*_YEAH, BABY! YEEEAH!!!_ > Sorry… > > “Blow” and “suck”? That’s nothing! > > Why can a house “burn down” **and** “burn up”? > If something is “flammable” can it also be “inflammable”? > \*\* Blame it on the French. Inflammable is Latin-derived. Flammable is from the degenerate French form. > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by RM Mentock_ > Wasn’t it Lenny Bruce who tried to popularize the insult “unfuck you?” > > _Reply from Kinsey_ > I thought it was George Carlin. It was Carlin. IIRC, Bruce’s bit was the “Fuck you, mom; yeah, put Dad on the phone. Fuck you too, Dad” routine. Carlin also did the fuck/kill contrast. Remember “I’m gonna fuck you now, sherrif, and I’m gonna do it reeaal slow”? ---
**Author:** ![morris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/morris)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sucking-vs-blowing/44381/33 "2000-12-08T00:06:27Z")
> [@](#): > > Morris, you are correct about cheeks position during regular blowing and sucking. With more experience you will learn that vigourous ckeek activity has nothing to do wiht expertly performed oral sex. … i was more refering to the more literal acts of sucking and blowing. Enough pressure to visibly deform the cheeks Would be painful. I have recently heard of (in what is probably yet another urban legend) the act of blowing to be possibly fatal, I did try find a cite but to no avail… I think the rational (as i heard it) was via a gas embolism. My knowledge of anatomy doesnt really support that… whether the bubble travelled up the urethra to the bladder or through the ductus deferens theres still so access to the bloodstream. So essentially its probably just a story. Unless anyone else has ever heard anything similar, then its definitely true. ---
**Author:** ![peace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@peace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peace)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sucking-vs-blowing/44381/34 "2000-12-08T02:26:06Z")
Morris, for your age, you know surprisingly much. More than most adults do on this MB. You got it a bit screwed, thoughou. Listen close. A few cases were described in which a woman died during cunnilingus. I myself is not sure that what I am going to describe, cased death by itself, but I remember reading about the following story (sorry, it’s an old one; I promised to profide references for such cases, but I can’t even recall where I read it). A man called “911” and reported his pregnant wife in resperatopy disstres (I do not recall the exact term, but it was the third trimester). By the time the ambulance came, the wife expired. The man said that he performed cunnilingus on his wife. He said that the actual activuty was not limited to clitoral sucking, that at some point he “playfully blew air into the vagina”. I put the quotation marks just to convey my impression, as I remember it, not to quote him verbatim. At some point he heard strange sounds and when he looked up, the wife appeared unconscious. I do not remember if any heart disease was present, but her heart contained air at the autopsy. This kind of death (air embolism) is very rare and the amount of air, needed to cause death, is uncertain (at least, I do not know it). I remember, that the authors’ conclusion was that the death was compatible with air embolism cause. Even if there was an intervenieng cardiac condition, it did not kill her before and she a died happy fast death. This story was published in a medical journal, not in “Natioal Enquerar”. It confirms the old maxim: “You got to know what you are doing”. ---
**Author:** ![Kyberneticist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dc4da7/32.png) [@Kyberneticist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyberneticist)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sucking-vs-blowing/44381/35 "2000-12-08T04:04:26Z")
[http://www.urbanlegends.com/medical/embolism\_air\_in\_vagina.html](http://www.urbanlegends.com/medical/embolism_air_in_vagina.html) ---
**Author:** ![avacado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47774/32.png) [@avacado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/avacado)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sucking-vs-blowing/44381/36 "2000-12-08T04:25:06Z")
on a related note, why does adding “the” on front of shit reverse its meaning? i.e. “_Spaceballs_ is **the shit** ” (positve) as opposed to “_Spaceballs_ is **shit** ” (negative). as if being one particular poop instead of poop in general gives something value? any thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![morris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/morris)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sucking-vs-blowing/44381/37 "2000-12-08T04:32:29Z")
In med school they gave us a similar case except it was during the birth itself… as the baby popped out a little blowback occured leading to embolism which caused DIC… which is blood clotting in her vascular system. Which quickly leads to death. The little stroy i heard was definitely about a guy, not a girl… and needless to say he wasnt pregnant. ---
**Author:** ![peace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@peace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peace)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sucking-vs-blowing/44381/38 "2000-12-08T04:38:20Z")
Morris, are you sure you finished your high shool? What’s this blubber about med school? ---
**Author:** ![morris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/morris)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sucking-vs-blowing/44381/39 "2000-12-08T04:51:38Z")
Im at highschool now?..How come no one ever tells me these things Except for you Peace Thank You ---
**Author:** ![Starbury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Starbury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starbury)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sucking-vs-blowing/44381/40 "2000-12-08T14:30:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by peace \* > **Morris, for your age, you know surprisingly much. More than most adults do on this MB. You got it a bit screwed, thoughou. Listen close.** **Peace** , why do all of your responses have to be so condescending? > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Morris_ > \*\*I have recently heard of (in what is probably yet another urban legend) the act of blowing to be possibly fatal, I did try find a cite but to no avail… I think the rational (as i heard it) was via a gas embolism. My knowledge of anatomy doesnt really support that… whether the bubble travelled up the urethra to the bladder or through the ductus deferens theres still so access to the bloodstream. \*\* Cecil discussed the dangers of oral sex on a woman [here](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_210.html). (I know you were talking about the dangers for a man, but I figured this was close enough) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sucking-vs-blowing/44381.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sucking-vs-blowing/44381.md?page=3)