# What's EST Mean (not Eastern Standard Time) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 6, 2011, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-est-mean-not-eastern-standard-time/577378 "2011-04-06T09:43:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2011, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-est-mean-not-eastern-standard-time/577378/1 "2011-04-06T09:43:49Z")
I was reading a gossip board and someone claimed that Patrick Duffy had a long term relationship with Freddie Fender One of the replies said > [@](#): > > That’s the biggest EST I’ve ever read here, and that’s saying something I assume that means it’s a lie or something. So what exactly is EST? ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2011, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-est-mean-not-eastern-standard-time/577378/2 "2011-04-06T09:50:26Z")
Looking it up on an [acronym dictionary](http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/EST), I’m guessing Enfermedad Sexualmente Transmisible (Spanish: sexually transmitted disease). I hate stupid fucking unknown acronyms. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-est-mean-not-eastern-standard-time/577378/3 "2011-04-07T08:04:56Z")
That makes a semblance of sense, but can you link us to the board or give us more context? My first instinct is that it’s a term specific to the site. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-est-mean-not-eastern-standard-time/577378/4 "2011-04-07T10:01:11Z")
> [@Darryl\_Lict](#): > > Looking it up on an [acronym dictionary](http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/EST), I’m guessing Enfermedad Sexualmente Transmisible (Spanish: sexually transmitted disease). > > I hate stupid fucking unknown acronyms. I’m putting my money on “Endoscopic Sphincterotomy.” ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-est-mean-not-eastern-standard-time/577378/5 "2011-04-07T10:17:03Z")
est (non capitalized) was a sort-of-mega-group-therapy-enlightenment program from the 1970’s IIRC…(madly googles…) Yes, run by a guy called Werner Erhardt, who fancied himself as a guru of heightened consciousness or something, his courses were called E(e)rhadt S(s)eminar T(training). EST for short. Does that help? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-est-mean-not-eastern-standard-time/577378/6 "2011-04-07T10:27:46Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > est (non capitalized) was a sort-of-mega-group-therapy-enlightenment program from the 1970’s IIRC…(madly googles…) Yes, run by a guy called Werner Erhardt, who fancied himself as a guru of heightened consciousness or something, his courses were called E(e)rhadt S(s)eminar T(training). EST for short. Yeah, [this stuff](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erhard_Seminars_Training). It was my first thought when I saw the acronym, but I don’t see how it would fit in context. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-est-mean-not-eastern-standard-time/577378/7 "2011-04-07T10:35:21Z")
Perhaps it’s a hendiatris for crap: excrement shit turd. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-est-mean-not-eastern-standard-time/577378/8 "2011-04-07T10:41:04Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > That makes a semblance of sense, but can you link us to the board or give us more context? My first instinct is that it’s a term specific to the site. It’s a forum for celebrity gossip. The topic was Patrick “Dallas” Duffy. Some poster claimed that Patrick Duffy in his youth had a long term, homosexual relationship with singer Freddie “Before The Next Teardrop Falls” Fender Another poster replied by saying: “That’s the biggest EST I’ve ever read here, and that’s saying something” I looked around the board and I did see other references to EST and someone asked “What does EST mean” but it never was explained. Trying to imagine Patrick Duffy and Freddie Fender in a homosexual relationship leads me to think, EST means a lie or guess or some sort ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-est-mean-not-eastern-standard-time/577378/9 "2011-04-07T10:54:34Z")
Googling est + gay gets quite a few results, many in French. I don’t know what they are saying though. Like “Justin Bieber est gay la Photo ! … Et oui, Justin Bieber est Gay !” ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-est-mean-not-eastern-standard-time/577378/10 "2011-04-07T12:38:01Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > Some poster claimed that Patrick Duffy in his youth had a long term, homosexual relationship with singer Freddie “Before The Next Teardrop Falls” Fender > > Another poster replied by saying: > > “That’s the biggest EST I’ve ever read here, and that’s saying something” Could the T be for “troll”. For example, if you thought it was bullshit, you’d say something along the lines of “That’s the biggest bullshit troll post I’ve ever read!” or “That’s the biggest BST post ever!” I can’t think of what EST would be though, and one would assume it’s reasonably well-known if more people weren’t asking. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-est-mean-not-eastern-standard-time/577378/11 "2011-04-07T12:39:35Z")
> [@Eats\_Crayons](#): > > Could the T be for “troll”. For example, if you thought it was bullshit, you’d say something along the lines of “That’s the biggest bullshit troll post I’ve ever read!” or “That’s the biggest BST post ever!” > > I can’t think of what EST would be though, and one would assume it’s reasonably well-known if more people weren’t asking. “Eat shit, troll”? That’s certainly insulting. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-est-mean-not-eastern-standard-time/577378/12 "2011-04-07T12:44:16Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Googling est + gay gets quite a few results, many in French. I don’t know what they are saying though. Like “Justin Bieber est gay la Photo ! … Et oui, Justin Bieber est Gay !” “Est” is French for whoosh (I hope!) ---
**Author:** ![Pigs\_in\_Space](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@Pigs\_in\_Space](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pigs_in_Space)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2011, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-est-mean-not-eastern-standard-time/577378/13 "2011-04-09T05:01:49Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Googling est + gay gets quite a few results, many in French. I don’t know what they are saying though. Like “Justin Bieber est gay la Photo ! … Et oui, Justin Bieber est Gay !” Est is French for is. The last bit is “And yes, Justin Bieber is gay!” It’s like typing “the” or “and” into Google. I have no idea about the actual question. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2011, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-est-mean-not-eastern-standard-time/577378/14 "2011-04-09T12:27:07Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > est (non capitalized) was a sort-of-mega-group-therapy-enlightenment program from the 1970’s IIRC…(madly googles…) Yes, run by a guy called Werner Erhardt, who fancied himself as a guru of heightened consciousness or something, his courses were called E(e)rhadt S(s)eminar T(training). EST for short. > > Does that help? I also thought of Erhard Seminars Training, but I don’t see how that has to do with the context of the question. Perhaps the author doesn’t believe that that program could perform what it claimed, and is using it as an analogy for an unbelievable statement? ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2011, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-est-mean-not-eastern-standard-time/577378/15 "2011-04-09T14:43:23Z")
Total WAG: Egregious smear tactic? Maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2011, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-est-mean-not-eastern-standard-time/577378/16 "2011-04-09T15:46:17Z")
In the field of psychology it means Empirically Supported Treatment, but something tells me that’s not what they mean here. This is going to be another _14k of g_ situation, I think. It’s already driving me nuts. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2011, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-est-mean-not-eastern-standard-time/577378/17 "2011-04-09T15:47:59Z")
> [@Eats\_Crayons](#): > > Could the T be for “troll”. For example, if you thought it was bullshit, you’d say something along the lines of “That’s the biggest bullshit troll post I’ve ever read!” or “That’s the biggest BST post ever!” This seems clear. Here’s a thread of mock EST’s: [http://www.datalounge.com/cgi-bin/iowa/ajax.html?t=9178093#page:showThread,9178093](http://www.datalounge.com/cgi-bin/iowa/ajax.html?t=9178093#page:showThread,9178093) ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2011, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-est-mean-not-eastern-standard-time/577378/18 "2011-04-09T16:25:57Z")
> [@Darryl\_Lict](#): > > I hate stupid fucking unknown acronyms. I think you mean SFUA’s. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2011, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-est-mean-not-eastern-standard-time/577378/19 "2011-04-09T16:37:07Z")
Elaborate Scenario Troll. > **[DataLounge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DataLounge)** > > DataLounge (also styled as Datalounge and The Data Lounge) is an internet forum. Its core community, predominantly composed of anonymous posters, shares news, opinions, gossip, personal stories, and political views from a gay perspective. A key focus of the forum is discussing and speculating about the sexuality of celebrities. > While the forum guidelines nominally require posters to be respectful of others, much of the site's appeal lies in its appreciation of wit, satire, and "pointless bitch... > [@](#): > > The third is similar to the Noodles ban: a restriction on accusing posters of being a so-called > “Elaborate Scenario Troll” (commonly abbreviated as “EST”). The site did once have an EST, a poster who deployed florid, overwrought prose to describe painstakingly elaborate situations requiring DataLoungers’ consult, ones widely believed, as with Noodles’ posts, to be fictional. The true EST is believed to have posted only a handful of threads – unlike Noodles, who is believed to have started dozens – but DataLoungers quickly started accusing any poster detailing an unusually lengthy account of a given situation as being an EST creating a fake post. PS: For the curious, I found this by first googling “EST Patrick Duffy” to find the original thread," and then googling “EST Datalounge”. ---
**Author:** ![Nancarrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c37758/32.png) [@Nancarrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nancarrow)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-est-mean-not-eastern-standard-time/577378/20 "2011-04-10T14:05:04Z")
Perhaps the hypothesis of Mr. Duffy’s youthful homosexual dalliance can be used as a [marker to find one’s way along the human genome](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expressed_sequence_tag)?