# What’s the insult? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 8, 2022, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-insult/974581 "2022-11-08T12:19:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2022, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-insult/974581/1 "2022-11-08T12:19:51Z")
Been watching UK politics through the last few turns. Of course people were insulting each other, and British insults I find both colourful and amusing. But I’m a bit stumped by calling someone a, ‘bellend’. What the devil does that mean? I don’t really see the insult. Sounds like calling someone a broom. Huh? Where is the insult intended to be when someone is being called a bellend? Please explain. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2022, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-insult/974581/2 "2022-11-08T12:21:50Z")
…think “penis”. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2022, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-insult/974581/3 "2022-11-08T12:48:44Z")
The American equivalent is “_dickhead_” ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2022, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-insult/974581/4 "2022-11-08T13:59:44Z")
The bellend on one’s penis is the head, or glans, which has a very passing resemblance to a bell. It is used fairly closely as is “dickhead” but in UK English has a slightly more insulting flavour. “That guy is a dickhead but his mate is a bellend” ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2022, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-insult/974581/5 "2022-11-08T16:33:27Z")
Hence why Jeremy Hunt (when Culture Secretary) caused a certain hilarity when a bell-ringing celebration of the 2012 Olympics included a malfunction of… the end of his bell: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/xmCtGKwgJ2k/maxresdefault.jpg "Jeremy Hunt's bell breaks during HMS Belfast's London 2012 Olympics celebration") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmCtGKwgJ2k) ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2022, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-insult/974581/6 "2022-11-08T16:45:45Z")
> [@scudsucker](#): > > It is used fairly closely as is “dickhead” but in UK English has a slightly more insulting flavour. > > “That guy is a dickhead but his mate is a bellend” Hmm, not sure I agree, I would say ‘bellend’ is a little softer/more humorous (depending on tone, of course). Dickhead sound pretty harsh to my ears, whatever the situation. Harsher consonant sounds perhaps. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2022, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-insult/974581/7 "2022-11-08T16:56:06Z")
I’m only British by birth, so I am no expert on slang, but I am pretty sure that when I lived in the East End - one of the rougher parts of London - “dickhead” was not a common insult, and certainty not considered too perjorative. “Bellend” would be far more common, but also not too perjorative. “Cunt” was in comon useage, too, again mostly non perjerotive when used against men. Obviously a big difference when used against women. I am not particularly a fan of any of these words and their useage. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2022, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-insult/974581/8 "2022-11-08T16:58:35Z")
> [@scudsucker](#): > > I’m only British by birth, so I am no expert on slang, but I am pretty sure that when I lived in the East End - one of the rougher parts of London - “dickhead” was not a common insult, and certainty not considered too perjorative. I’m not sure when you lived there, but dickhead has been common parlance for years. Bellend actually sounds a bit quaint in comparison, perhaps because it sounds a little old fashioned. Doesn’t carry the punch it might once have done. I too lived in the East End, about ten years ago. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2022, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-insult/974581/9 "2022-11-08T17:05:35Z")
Bromley by Bow, about 20 years ago. I lived between an Afghan and a Pakistani area, so the food and restaurants were incredible. And the small shops were amazing. Like wonderland for someone like me. Of course it was not these neighbours who were swearing, more of the gentlemen who awake to spend their dole money on beer and hatred. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2022, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-insult/974581/10 "2022-11-08T17:16:46Z")
> [@scudsucker](#): > > Of course it was not these neighbours who were swearing, more of the gentlemen who awake to spend their dole money on beer and hatred. Ha, indeed! I was Hackney (London Fields), working in Shoreditch. Love East London. You wouldn’t recognise it now, very chi chi in parts, and eye-bleedingly expensive. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2022, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-insult/974581/11 "2022-11-08T17:32:29Z")
Total threadjack, and I will only make this one post, so Mods, please be kind. When I was there I was working in low-paid bar jobs at like £5 an hour, and there were a bunch of underground train strikes. So I walked home instead of the train I absolutely loved London at like 02:00 to 04:00 when walking the 10 to 12 mile route home… you suddently spot Scotland Yard, the stuff of legends. And plenty more fabled places and movie scenes. Then an urban fox, just carrying on his nefarious business. By the time I met them the prostitutes were all too tired to care and appreciated my greetings, or maybe it was obvious that a young guy walking home was not in their league. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2022, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-insult/974581/12 "2022-11-08T17:46:49Z")
Still threadjacking. I think we’ve all wandered home at night on foot at some stage after an all night party, walking across various Thames bridges. I haven’t done it alone, being a girl, but in company, for sure. Of course there’s always an endless stream of night buses should your legs get tired. All felt safe. Relatively speaking. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2022, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-insult/974581/13 "2022-11-08T20:29:38Z")
and who can forget “the darkness” and their delightful yuletide carol “Christmas Time (don’t let the bells end)” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/lrVg1toMzuo/maxresdefault.jpg "The Darkness - Christmas Time (Don't Let the Bells End) (Official Music Video) [HD]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrVg1toMzuo) ---
**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:** [November 8, 2022, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-insult/974581/14 "2022-11-08T20:34:48Z")
> [@scudsucker](#): > > perjorative [nitpick]I try not to be the kind to nitpick typographical errors, but just because it happened three times and there’s a possibility you might be unaware: the word is **pejorative** , not pe **r** jorative.[/nitpick] ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2022, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-insult/974581/15 "2022-11-08T23:37:06Z")
> [@scudsucker](#): > > glans, which has a very passing resemblance to a bell. Only from a certain point of view. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2022, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-insult/974581/16 "2022-11-08T23:47:14Z")
I guess that’s where “ding dong” comes from. mmm ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-insult/974581/17 "2022-11-09T05:14:27Z")
Thanks. I was unsure if it was correct but my spell check should have caught that too. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stafford_cripps/32/7167_2.png) [@The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stafford_Cripps)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-insult/974581/18 "2022-11-09T08:41:02Z")
A bell end is the part of a large canvas tent at the opposite end to the entrance. It was where you’d keep baggage to avoid using up space in the sleeping area. When I was in the scouts 40 years ago we would talk about the bell end without any smirking, which shows that later on someone appropriated the term for smut. I assume that it was from the shape. ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-insult/974581/19 "2022-11-09T09:18:08Z")
In a similar vein keep an eye out for ‘German helmet’ as an otherwise seemingly innocuous term, or the spoonerish ‘Herman Gelmet’ as a fake name. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-insult/974581/20 "2022-11-09T12:30:00Z")
> [@Banksiaman](#): > > keep an eye out for ‘German helmet’ Not, I trust, a pickelhaube. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-insult/974581.md?page=2)