eleven

From Middle English elleven, enleven, eleven, from Old English endleofan; from Proto-Germanic *ainalif (“one left”) (i.e., one left over after having already counted to ten), a compound of *ainaz and *-lif, from Proto-Indo-European *leyp- (“leave, remain”). Compare West Frisian alve, Low German ölven, Dutch elf, German elf, Icelandic ellefu, Danish and Norwegian elleve.

der

A: SUM1 Hl3p ME im alwyz L0ziN!!?!

B: y d0nt u just g0 away l0zer!!1!!one!!one!!eleven!!1!

(Internet, slang, sarcastic) Deliberate misspelling of !!. Used to amplify an exclamation, imitating someone who forgets to press the shift key while typing exclamation points.


one

From Middle English oon, on, oan, an, from Old English ān (“one”), from Proto-West Germanic *ain, from Proto-Germanic *ainaz (“one”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁óynos (“single, one”).
Cognate with Scots ae, ane, wan, yin (“one”); North Frisian ån (“one”); Saterland Frisian aan (“one”); West Frisian ien (“one”); Dutch een, één (“one”); German Low German een; German ein, eins (“one”); Danish en (“one”); Swedish en (“one”); Norwegian Nynorsk ein (“one”), Icelandic einn (“one”); Latin ūnus (“one”) (Old Latin oinos); Russian оди́н (odín), Spanish uno. Doublet of a, an, and Uno.
Use as indefinite personal pronoun influenced by unrelated French on.
Verb form from Middle English onen.

inh

see for numerical forms in other scripts

A: SUM1 Hl3p ME im alwyz L0ziN!1!?1!
Someone help me; I'm always losing!?

B: y d0nt u just g0 away l0zer!!1!!one!!one!!eleven!!1!
Why don't you just go away loser!

2003 September 26, "DEAL WITH IT!!!!11one!!", in alt.games.video.nintendo.gamecube, Usenet

2004 November 9, "AWK sound recorder!!!11!!11one", in comp.lang.awk, Usenet

2007 December 1, "STANFORD!!1!!1!one!11!!1oneone!1!1!", in rec.sport.football.college, Usenet

(Internet slang, leetspeak, sarcastic) Deliberate misspelling of !. Used to amplify an exclamation, parodying unskilled typists who forget to press the shift key while typing exclamation points, thus typing "1".


bad

en-adj

bad (comparative worse or (nonstandard) badder or (nonstandard) more bad, superlative worst or (nonstandard) baddest or (nonstandard) most bad)

worse (comparative)
badder (comparative nonstandard)
more bad (comparative nonstandard)
worst (superlative)
baddest (nonstandard superlative)
most bad (nonstandard superlative)

From Middle English bad, badde (“wicked, evil, depraved”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps a shortening of Old English bæddel (“hermaphrodite”) (for loss of -el compare Middle English muche from Old English myċel, and Middle English wenche from Old English wenċel), or at least related to it and/or to bǣ̆dan (“to defile”), compare Old High German pad (“hermaphrodite”).
Alternatively, perhaps a loan from Old Norse into Middle English, compare Norwegian bad (“effort, trouble, fear”, neuter noun), East Danish bad (“damage, destruction, fight”, neuter noun), from the Proto-Germanic noun *badą, whence also Proto-Germanic *badōną (“to frighten”), Old Saxon undarbadōn (“to frighten”), Norwegian Nynorsk bada (“to weigh down, press”).

unk

uncertain

cog

æ-tensing, New York City, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Baltimore

Orange Man bad

"don't buy chinese games because china bad!!" folks I have good news about a little country called the United States of America

2020 October 7, @morkitten, Twitter, archived from the original on 2024-04-03

fake reddit moment, he's on tiktok and we all know tiktok bad 😤😤😤

2020 October 11, u/EarthToAccess, “Sad moment right here”, in Reddit, r/redditmoment, archived from the original on 2024-04-03

These kind of people only hate the Iraq invasion cuz "USA bad". Not because they truly care about Iraqi's.

2023 January 24, u/ThunderEagle222, “"NATO doesn't win because it has better technology! They only win because their technology is better!"”, in Reddit, r/NonCredibleDefense, archived from the original on 2024-04-03

-now everyone says it was "never good" because "popular thing bad" and now you're not allowed to like it anymore because it is now against the unspoken social rules thats fucking so great I hate that this happens to everything I like

2023 March 21, @SpectrVolcarona, Twitter, archived from the original on 2024-04-03

Ok well since it's been a thing for like 1.5 decades now, do you think you could give us a clue? ¶ FDA. Nope. Vape bad. You figure it out yourself.

2023 November 28, u/zeptillian, “This super popular disposable vape device is basically just a tampon soaked in nicotine juice that gets zapped by a small battery to produce vapor.”, in Reddit, r/mildlyinteresting, archived from the original on 2024-04-03

(Internet slang, sarcastic) Used without a copula to mock people who oppose something without having any real understanding of it.


A: someone hlep me pls im always losing!!!1!

B: Thats bcuz ur st00pid!!!!!11!!oneone!!1!!eleven!1

(Internet slang, leetspeak, sarcastic) Deliberate misspelling of !, imitating someone who is too excited to consistently press the shift key while typing exclamation marks.


joy

From Middle English joye, borrowed from Old French joie, from Late Latin gaudia, neuter plural (mistaken as feminine singular) of Latin gaudium (“joy”), from gaudēre (“to be glad, rejoice”). Doublet of jo and gaudy (“Oxford college reunion”). Displaced native Old English ġefēa.

doublet

Hanrahan closed his mouth, tried unsuccessfully to breathe through his nose, then opened his mouth again. "Oh, joy," he muttered. "This kid doesn't even go to the bathroom, I bet. Probably been taught not to. It isn't nice."

1983, Gregory Mcdonald, Fletch and the Man Who, New York, N.Y.: Warner Books, page 56

(dated, often sarcastic) Expressing appreciation and happiness.


apparently

en-adv

apparently (comparative more apparently, superlative most apparently)

more apparently (comparative)
most apparently (superlative)

Peridot: I can tell you with certainty that there are things on this planet worth protecting!
Yellow Diamond: What do you know about the Earth?!
Peridot: Apparently more than you, you clod!

2016, “Message Received”, in Steven Universe

(often sarcastic) According to what one can deduce.


it's about time

So Johnny has finally learned the alphabet - it's about time too, he's 6!

(idiomatic, sarcastic) Used to express impatience at the eventual occurrence of something that the speaker or writer considered to be long overdue.


Your Highness

(informal, sarcastic) A sarcastic term of address to anyone who is (or is acting) pompous or bossy.


His Majesty

(informal, sarcastic) A sarcastic way of referring to any male who is (or is acting) pompous or bossy.


Her Majesty

(informal, sarcastic) A sarcastic way of referring to any female who is (or appears) pompous or bossy.


wise

en-adj

wise (comparative wiser or more wise, superlative wisest or most wise)

wiser (comparative)
more wise (comparative)
wisest (superlative)
most wise (superlative)

From Middle English wis, wys, from Old English wīs (“wise”), from Proto-Germanic *wīsaz (“wise”), from Proto-Indo-European *weydstos, *weydtos, a participle form of *weyd-.
Cognate with Dutch wijs, German weise, Norwegian and Swedish vis. Compare wit.

it is a wise child that knows his own father

you can't put a wise head on young shoulders

Don't get wise with me!

(colloquial, ironic, sarcastic) Disrespectful.


talk to the hand

talk to the hand 'cause the face ain't listening

Oh honey, talk to the hand, the ears ain't listening!

1997, Todd Graff, The Beautician and the Beast, spoken by Joy Miller

Tommy showed Tony the palm of his hand. ‘Tell it to the ’and ’cos the face ain't listening.’

2002, Ben Elton, High Society, Random House, published 2012, page 172

(colloquial, US, African-American Vernacular, chiefly sarcastic) Used to dismiss another person's argument by indicating that one is not prepared to hear or read anything further from that person. It is often used while simultaneously holding up the hand with the palm facing the speaker.


talk to the hand

en-verb

talk to the hand (third-person singular simple present talks to the hand, present participle talking to the hand, simple past and past participle talked to the hand)

talks to the hand (present singular third-person)
talking to the hand (participle present)
talked to the hand (participle past)
talked to the hand (past)

Girl, you can talk to the hand 'cause I ain't listenin' no more.

Of all the hand gestures used by Men and women, "talking to the hand” is a gesture that should be exclusively used by women. There isn't anything Manly by making somebody "talk to the hand."

2012, Joseph Greene, The ComMANdments; The Official Guide Book to Man Rules, page 161

After his initial reaction and suggestion that she go write a song based on talking to the hand, she played him what she'd come up with, and he responded with his typically laconic "cool," suggesting they put some hand claps here and there and perhaps a minor chord in the verse to make it a bit jangly.

2016, Donald Brackett, Back to Black: Amy Winehouse's Only Masterpiece

Canceling someone started out in the same way that talking to the hand did, a joke.

2022, Kelly Mitchell, Clap if You Can Hear Me

别烦，我不听

used to dismiss another person's argument


too bad

Shortening of "That is too bad" or "It is too bad that..."

(idiomatic, sarcasm) A mockingly sarcastic expression of uncaring or schadenfreude as an answer to someone when upset.


normal

en-adj

normal (comparative normaler or more normal, superlative normalest or most normal)

normaler (comparative)
more normal (comparative)
normalest (superlative)
most normal (superlative)

From Latin normālis (“made according to a carpenter's square; later: according to a rule”), from nōrma (“carpenter's square”), of uncertain origin; doublet of normale. The earliest use of the word in English was to mean "perpendicular; forming a right angle" like something normālis (“made according to a carpenter's square”), but by Late Latin normālis had also come to mean "according to a rule", from which modern English senses of the word derive: in the 1800s, as people began to quantitatively study things like height and weight and blood pressure, the usual or most common values came to be referred to as "normal", and by extension values regarded as healthy or desirable came to be called "normal" regardless of their usuality.

der

I wrote a 30-page analysis of the show’s villain because I’m very normal about them.

Usual, healthy; not sick or ill or unlike oneself.

(fandom slang, sarcastic, with “about”) Fervently interested in a subject; obsessed.


I don't think so

/aɪ dəʊnt θɪŋk səʊ/

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Persent101-I don't think so.wav

Go out with you? Huh, I don't think so, sweetheart!

(sarcastic) No, absolutely not (used to refuse or decline something proposed).


really

From Middle English really, realy, rialliche, equivalent to real + -ly.

وَٱللّٰه؟

indicating surprise at, or requesting confirmation of, some new information

gosh

incredulity, phatically contrived incredulity, or in ironic/sarcastic sense

A: I've just been reading Shakespeare - he's one of the best authors like, ever!

B: Really.

(informal, sarcastic, typically exaggerated question.) Indicating that what was just said was obvious and unnecessary; contrived incredulity


imagine

en-verb

imagine (third-person singular simple present imagines, present participle imagining, simple past and past participle imagined)

imagines (present singular third-person)
imagining (participle present)
imagined (participle past)
imagined (past)

/ɪˈmæ.d͡ʒɪn/

From Middle English ymagynen, from Middle French imaginer, from Latin imāginor, from imāginem, the accusative singular of imāgō (“a copy, likeness, image”).

Imagine thinking that would work.

(transitive, Internet slang, rhetorical, sarcastic) Used to mock some idea.


barrel of laughs

en-noun

barrel of laughs (plural barrels of laughs)

We went to a karaoke bar and had a barrel of laughs.

I gather he's a funeral director. That must be why he's such a barrel of laughs. (sarcastic)

As they say, getting older is not a barrel of laughs.

2014, Kathleen George, The Johnstown Girls, page 37

(idiomatic, often sarcastic) A great amount of enjoyment or entertainment, or something or someone that provides this.


Einstein

Borrowed from German Einstein.
* The common noun is Named after physicist Albert Einstein.

Can you believe he's just a kindergartener? It looks like they've got an Einstein in the family.

Good job, Einstein, thinking you could grab the wires with your pliers.

(sometimes sarcastic) An extremely clever or intelligent person.


what do you know

Near-synonym: who would have thunk it

Well, what do you know, it's raining again.

(colloquial, set phrase, rhetorical question, often sarcastic) What a surprise; guess what.


-tastic

I don't get out to the movies that much, but "Bluntman and Chronic" was blunt-tastic.

2001, Kevin Smith, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, spoken by Whillenholly (Will Ferrell)

(slang, sometimes sarcastic) Fantastic; used to form adjectives conveying praise or celebration.


slick

en-adj

slick (comparative slicker, superlative slickest)

slicker (comparative)
slickest (superlative)

From Middle English slicke, slike, slyke, from Old English slīc (“sleek, smooth; crafty, cunning, slick”), from Proto-Germanic *slīkaz (“sleek, smooth”),
from Proto-Indo-European *sleyg-, *sleyǵ- (“to glide, smooth, spread”). Akin to Dutch sluik, dialectal Dutch sleek (“even, smooth”), Old Norse slíkr (“sleek, smooth”), Old English slician (“to make sleek, smooth, or glossy”).

cog

Our new process for extracting needles from haystacks is extremely slick.

That was a slick move, locking your keys in the car.

I leave the train at Salisbury, where (in a very slick operation) another two-car set is added to the front of the train before it heads for London.

2022 November 16, Paul Bigland, “From rural branches to high-speed arteries”, in RAIL, number 970, page 55

(often sarcastic) Clever, making an apparently hard task easy.

изкусен

clever, making an apparently hard task easy


weather balloon

en-noun

weather balloon (plural weather balloons)

(ufology, sarcastic) a skeptical explanation to debunk a UFO sighting that a believer regards as silly, illogical or disingenuous


einstein

Named in honor of Albert Einstein, who explained the photoelectric effect.

Yeah, that guy is a real einstein — he always finds a way to mess up the simplest order.

(informal) A genius; a very smart person.

(by extension, informal, sarcastic) An idiot; a very stupid person.

A genius; a very smart person.
An idiot; a very stupid person.


you and whose army

–I’m going to stop you from going out with that girl! —Yeah? You and whose army?

Come on, come on / You think you'll drive me crazy? / Well, come on, come on / You and whose army? / You and your cronies

2001, “You and whose army?”, in Amnesiac, performed by Radiohead

(rhetorical question, sarcastic) Used in response to someone’s threat suggesting that the person in question cannot do what they say alone.

やれるものならやってみろ (yareru mono nara yatte miro, literally “If you can do that, try to do it!”)


whoosh

onomatopoeic

imitative

went over their head
go over someone's head#English

(sarcastic) Indicating that somebody has missed the point (i.e. it went over their head).


yeah, right

yeah right

antonym(s) of “Correct, affirmative, yes”

[jɛə̯˥˨ ɹaɪt˥˩]

[jæə̯˥˨ ɹaɪt˥˩]

[jɛə̯˥˧(.)ɹaɪt˥˧]

[jæə̯˥˧(.)ɹaɪt˥˧]

Your dog ate your homework? Yeah, right.

(colloquial, sarcastic) Expresses disbelief.


inshallah

From Arabic إِنْ شَاءَ ٱللَٰه (ʔin šāʔa llāh, literally “if God has willed [it]”).

bor

إِنْ شَاءَ ٱللَٰه

Donald Trump: And you'll get it to see it [i.e. his taxes].

29 September 2020, Joe Biden, US presidential debate

divine intervention
divine intervention#English

(colloquial, sarcastic) Expressing a skeptical affirmative, to indicate the unlikeliness of events, as if they need a divine intervention to come about.


bulletin

(colloquial, often sarcastic) Introduces a fact (presumed to be obvious) of which the person addressed is ostensibly not aware.


but who's counting

There are only 258 more shopping days until Christmas, but who's counting?

You've made that mistake eight times now. But who's counting?

I've been looking for a job for six months now, but who's counting?

(colloquial, rhetorical question, sarcastic, humorous) Used as a retort or comeback, often to deprecate oneself or another for excessive concern or attention to detail.


big deal

It's a big deal to him to get this promotion.

It's no big deal if you don't finish it today.

Why do you always have to make such a big deal of tiny punctuation errors?

(idiomatic, informal, often sarcastic) Something very important or difficult; a matter of great concern; a considerable feat or achievement.


nice guy

Plenty of men will treat women kindly, but Nice Guys like to think that behaving kindly earns them a gold star. It doesn't.

2016 March 12, Suzannah Weiss, “5 Signs Of Nice Guy Syndrome”, in Bustle

(Internet slang, sarcastic, derogatory) A man who pretends to be kind and polite with the goal of attracting women, often becoming hostile and misogynistic when their advances are rebuffed; someone affected by nice guy syndrome.


fat chance

Fat chance that I’ll ever go back to Swansea.

As soon as the word comes out of your mouth […] your own servant is going to size you up as one of those limousine liberals, or whatever epithet they use, who are busy pouring white soul all over the black movement, and would you do as much for the white lower class, for the domestics of the East Side, for example, fat chance, sahib.

1970 June 8, Tom Wolfe, “Radical Chic: That Party at Lenny's”, in New York Magazine

(idiomatic, colloquial, sarcastic) Little or no chance, a low or nonexistent likelihood of occurrence or success.


about time

Our food has finally arrived. ― About time too, if you ask me! We've been waiting about 45 minutes for it!

(idiomatic, often sarcastic) Far past the desired time.


no duh

It says here not to drive with the sun shade covering the windshield of your car. No duh!

A long pause was followed by Hannah saying, “Well, no duh!”
“What?”
“That sign. Did you read that sign?”
“No, what did it say?”
“It said ‘State Prison Next Exit: Do Not Pick Up Hitchhikers.’ That′s why I said, no duh! Like they have to tell people not to pick up hitchhikers.”
“That was a strange sign,” I agreed.

2005, Robin Jones Gunn, Gardenias For Breakfast, page 99

“I could maybe buy that one, for some who has advanced up the scale of faith. However, I have trouble believing it would be sellable to the general population.”
“That′s a big ‘no duh.’ Now, I hope you don′t mind me keeping your feet to the fire. Let′s get back to your idea that maybe there are multiple paths to Heaven. And by the way, I hope you know you′re making me dizzy.”

2008, Donald James Parker, All the Stillness of the Wind, page 127

Ultimately, humans aren′t wholly monogamous either. (Can we hear a “No duh,” from the bleacher seats?)

2010, Joselin Linder, Elena Donovan Mauer, Have Sex Like You Just Met - No Matter How Long You've Been Together, page xvii

(chiefly US, colloquial, sarcastic) An expression or exclamation that something is exceedingly obvious or apparent, or that one would have to be extremely foolish not to realize something immediately.


just ducky

Well, that's just ducky!

(informal, often sarcastic) Great or going well.


pray tell

From pray (“ask (politely)”) + tell (“explain”).

But how, pray tell, do you "notice" something that happens when you're asleep?

(idiomatic, usually sarcastic) Expressing incredulity, please explain (some claim or position the speaker doubts).


nosh

(slang, Australia, sarcastic) An ironic response to a statement of the obvious.


no shit, Sherlock

A reference to the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, pretending that the interlocutor has just made a great deduction.

No shit, Sherlock. Take another look, see how they come to be bent.

1976, Emmett Grogan, Final Score, page 264

My copilot uttered, "I think we are headed for the bridge." No shit, Sherlock.

2006, Barry Morgan, Never Tell Them You're Dying, page 127

I also find it a little bizarre that, in 2019, we are still seeing reports with names like “Rise of the SHEconomy” which point out that investing in female-focussed brands is probably a good idea. No SHEeet Sherlock!

2019 August 31, Arwa Mahdawi, “All the single ladies have been an economic force for a long time – marketers are just noticing”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

The latest line of heat records has been met with a response that climate scientists have made many times before. They say to stop records from tumbling the world needs to stop burning coal, oil, and natural gas. "It's a, 'No shit Sherlock,' moment," Dr Perkins Kirkpatrick said.

2024 June 5, Tyne Logan, Tom Saunders, “As 12 months of record heat stack up, scientists unpack the impacts around the globe”, in ABC News (Australia)

(vulgar, colloquial, sarcastic, somewhat derogatory) A riposte to someone who has just said something obvious.


newsflash

In the 1980s we thought that fat was the root of all evil, but now people are saying that insulin is what is making us fat or that we should eat paleo, like our prehistoric friends (um, newsflash: most people in the Paleolithic era died from starvation).

2019, Rob Lipsett, The Rob Lipsett Game Plan

(colloquial, often sarcastic) Introduces an obvious fact of which the person addressed is ostensibly not aware.


no kidding

(colloquial, sarcastic) Said in response to an obvious statement.


clear as mud

Blend of clear as day + mud. Compare muddy (“unclear, blurry”).

(simile, sarcastic) Unclear; difficult or impossible to understand or interpret.


what do you want, a cookie

"I was straight to the point - "Laurie, I'm gay." "Bernard, I've known that for a long time. So, what do you want, a cookie? Now deal the cards!"

1994, R. Jeffrey Ringer, Queer Words, Queer Images: Communication and Construction of Homosexuality, page 230

DOLL. Buzzet attacked me last night. I have scars! Look at my arm! And my hair is flat too!
SPIDER. What do you want a cookie?

2001, Mary Rogers, Drop Your Webbings! (from Class Acts: High School Plays by High School Writers →ISBN by Randy Lee Hartwig), p.30

"I wait for ju, five minute," He says. "Well what do you want, a cookie" I tell him and he looks at me like he does not understand."

2004, James H. Taylor, Curiosity Killed the Chelsea Boy, page 153

"The way I see it, I'm already doing all the work, and I'm doing the spells and incantations," stated Bowolf. "So what do you want, a cookie?" laughed Prolok.

2006, Antonio Garza, The House with the Magic Cellar: Realm: I, page 103

(rhetorical question, sarcastic) A retort to someone who has done something unsurprising or unimpressive and has deemed it necessary to mention it.


take a bow

en-verb

take a bow (third-person singular simple present takes a bow, present participle taking a bow, simple past took a bow, past participle taken a bow)

takes a bow (present singular third-person)
taking a bow (participle present)
took a bow (past)
taken a bow (participle past)

The years we spent together were the worst years of my life. You can take a bow.

(idiomatic, sarcasm) To take credit or blame for a particular outcome or circumstance.


since when

Since when do I need your permission?

(colloquial, rhetorical question, sarcastic) From what time.

The moon is made of green cheese. Since when?

(colloquial, rhetorical question, sarcastic) (as an interrogative interjection) Used to indicate doubt as to the veracity of a statement.


Captain Obvious

en-noun

Captain Obvious (plural Captains Obvious)

1994, L. E. Blair, Drummer Girl (Girl Talk series, vol. 12), Golden Books Publishing, →ISBN, page 33,
"But you're a girl," the guy said in surprise. This guy was getting on my nerves. "You are Captain Obvious, aren't you?" I shot back.

Text links, by their very nature, contain text (thank you, Captain Obvious).

1995, Rob Stokes and the Minds of Quirk, eMarketing, Рипол Классик, page 82

The larger of the two specifications is known as Wide SCSI-2 because it's wider (Captain Obvious rides again).

1998, David Groth, A+: Core Module Study Guide, Sybex, page 189

The Qiana-wearing slacker next to me poked me on the shoulder and said, "We totally knew it was you in the bathroom!" Well, thank you, Captain Obvious, I thought.

2002, Cathryn Michon, The Grrl Genius Guide to Life, HarperCollins, page 145

Hold the camera properly. No, I'm not playing Captain Obvious here, but there is a certain way to hold a DV camera to avoid jittery movement.

2002, Tee Morris, Steve Oakley, Premiere 6.5 Power!, Thomson Course Technology, page 240

“Do you know who that is?” he said, pointing both hands at the screen. / “Harold…Wolf…?” the class stated the obvious in slow, disjointed unison. Mr. Candas looked ready to jump off a roof. / “Thank you, Captains Obvious,” he murmured.

2013, Kaleb Nation, Harken, VOLT, page 38

Captains Obvious point to Sgt. Pepper’s as the source but, in reality, it’s Revolver. It comes from here, and it goes there and everywhere.

2022, Questlove [pseudonym; Ahmir K. Thompson], “Evolver”, in Revolver, Apple Corps, page 17, column 1

(humorous, usually derogatory, sarcastic, very often preceded with thank you) Someone who makes superfluous or obvious statements.

Capità Obvi

someone who makes superfluous statements


surprise surprise

(sarcastic) Said when something unsurprising has happened, especially if contrary to one's hopes.


no shit

LAPD Operator: Attention, whoever you are: this frequency is reserved for emergency calls only. John McClane: No fuckin' shit, lady! Do I sound like I'm orderin' a pizza?!

1988, Die Hard, spoken by John McClane (Bruce Willis)

(colloquial, vulgar, often sarcastic, somewhat derogatory) An ironic response to a statement of the obvious.


pearl of wisdom

pearl of wisdom (plural pearls of wisdom)

"I am desolated to lose the pearls of wisdom that habitually fall from your cultivated lips," returned Haddo.

1908, W. Somerset Maugham, chapter 3, in The Magician

How about this pearl of wisdom after France lost to Scotland again, this time in Paris? He said: "You always lose when your opponents score and you don't."

2008 June 8, Ivan Speck, “Meet Raymond Domenech, the maddest coach at Euro 2008”, in Daily Mail Online, UK, retrieved 2008-06-23

(idiomatic, often sarcastic) A succinct, insightful saying, piece of advice, or moral precept.


wisehead

Why! Do you think I want that picture taken down: and another Mrs. Milliken? Wisehead!

c. 1850, William Makepeace Thackeray, The Wolves and the Lamb, act 2

(obsolete, sarcastic) A person who is wise or who considers himself or herself to be wise.


last words

The alleged last words would have been "More beating" had one of the assailants failed to notice the victim's true intent.

(often sarcastic) The final remarks uttered by a person before death.


last word

Benjamin Franklin [...] pondered over his last words for as much as two weeks, and then when the time came, he said, "None but the brave deserve the fair," and died happy.

1889 September 11, Mark Twain, “Last words of great men”, in Buffalo Express, Buffalo, N.Y.

(often sarcastic, often pluralized) The final statement uttered by a person before death.

viimeiset sanat

(often pluralized) final statement uttered before death


one should be so lucky

Calque of Yiddish מען זאָל זיין אזוי מזלדיק (men zol zeyn azoy mazldik, “one should be so lucky”)

calque

מען זאָל זיין אזוי מזלדיק

So now I'm the Beverly Sills of Broadway, right? Hah! I should be so lucky!

1970, The New York Times Biographical Service, New York Times & Arno Press, page 660

I laugh uncontrollably when I meet women who say, "What if we get equal rights; we'll all be drafted!" My reply is, "You should be so lucky." The male-dominated military are not about to open their last sanctuary to 51 percent of the population.

1971, Equal Rights for Men and Women 1971: Hearings, Ninety-second Congress, First Session, U.S. Government Printing Office, page 131

I play my heart out. To have me on his team, he should be so lucky. That's right. When I get chosen, I give everything.

1983, Larry Ketron, Asian Shade, Dramatists Play Service, page 37

"You take pictures in here and you're liable to get a rat in one of them!" "I should be so lucky. I've been trying for years to get a picture of a rat at the Intervale Jewish Center without any luck. They refuse to pose."

1988, Jack Kugelmass, editor, Between Two Worlds, Cornell University Press, page 311

(informal, sarcastic) It is highly doubtful: indicating that something is not likely to happen to the person specified.

(ugyan/vajon) mikor lesz/van neked olyan/akkora szerencséd?


joined up

en-adj

joined up (comparative more joined up, superlative most joined up)

more joined up (comparative)
most joined up (superlative)


cry someone a river

en-verb

cry someone a river (third-person singular simple present cries someone a river, present participle crying someone a river, simple past and past participle cried someone a river)

cries someone a river (present singular third-person)
crying someone a river (participle present)
cried someone a river (participle past)
cried someone a river (past)

Probably from the song Cry Me a River (1953).

It is rather shaming to be quite so wet over nothing in particular, but at least Fielding does it too. He cries gallons over slow-motion bits at the ends of films, especially Gladiator, and begins to worship Roman values, then Italian footballers kissing in slo-mo to the strains of Nessun Dorma. Sniffle, sniffle. And QPR being relegated in 1996. He can cry you a river over that one, and over a darling little clump of daffodils growing by the traffic island.

2008 March 4, Michele Hanson, “I cry over anything lately”, in The Guardian

(idiomatic, often sarcastic) To weep profusely or excessively in the presence of another person.

pillittää

to weep profusely or excessively in the presence of another person

пла́каться в жиле́тку (plákatʹsja v žilétku, literally “cry into a waistcoat”)

Port Authority Transit should cry me a river. Before raising fares it should cut an unnecessary expense.

1968 October 3, A. B. Geraci, “Letter to Editor: PAT Should End Its Free Passes”, in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, retrieved 2008-10-20, page 16

(idiomatic, usually sarcastic, by extension) To try to obtain the sympathy of another person by complaining or sniveling.

kitistä

to try to obtain the sympathy of another person by complaining or sniveling


boohoo

boohoo (third-person singular simple present boohoos, present participle boohooing, simple past and past participle boohooed)

boohoos (present singular third-person)
boohooing (participle present)
boohooed (participle past)
boohooed (past)

(sarcastic, intransitive) To complain, whine.


go jump in the lake

When I asked for help cleaning the mess I made, the janitor told me to go jump in the lake, but he was only joking.

... to sell it to the Mond or the International Nickel Company, and if they didn't choose to take it from us, they would tell us to go jump in the lake.

1917, Ontario. Royal Nickel Commission, George Thomas Holloway, Report of the Royal Ontario Nickel Commission: with appendix, page 22

We would tell the USSR to go jump in the lake. There would be no way we would tolerate that.

1985, Australia. Parliament. Senate, Parliamentary debates, Senate, weekly Hansard, Issue 10, page 193

(idiomatic, derogatory, colloquial, often sarcastic) Used to tell someone to go away, or that their request will not be met.


I believe you, thousands wouldn't

You weren't working on germ warfare five years ago." "Non-lethal," she cries. "Oh, how you can not see." "Well, I believe you, thousands wouldn't[…]

2004, Sandra Newman, The Only Good Thing Anyone Has Ever Done: A Novel, page 185

(British, Ireland, sarcastic) Used to indicate that the speaker does not put faith in something they have just heard.


in your dreams

(idiomatic, colloquial, somewhat derogatory, often sarcastic) Used to express the speaker's skepticism about another's preceding statement about a desired or assumed state of affairs.


here we go

(sarcastic) An expression of frustration upon seeing or hearing something bad repeated.


thankyouverymuch

American Express will do nicely, thankyouverymuch.

1987, Geoff Crowther, East Africa: a travel survival kit

Changing a spark plug was easier than building a computer – which she had done, thankyouverymuch – or even just making a really good risotto.

2007, Lucy A. Snyder, Installing Linux on a Dead Badger

Dress pants (pleated, thankyouverymuch) with a hole in the back pocket? Sure thing.

2008, Cara Freie, I Love Ranch Dressing: And Other Stuff White Midwesterners Like

thank you very much
thank you very much#English

(chiefly humorous, sarcastic) Alternative form of thank you very much


whoopdee doo

(colloquial, sarcastic) Alternative form of whoop-de-doo


you kiss your mother with that mouth

head

(do) you kiss your mother with that mouth?

No wonder then that I felt compelled when coming upon Tony and John's contest-in-insults to glare and say, "Hey, you kiss your mother with that mouth?"

1983, Reinhold Aman, Maledicta, Volume 6, Issues 1-2, Maledicta Press, page #209

"Chris doesn't like my hair up. I don't like my hair up. I'm not wearing my fucking hair up." ― "You kiss your mother with that mouth?"

1998, Anna Quindlen, Black and Blue, Wheeler Pub., page #153

Serena, always the charmer. Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?

2004, Tim McCleaf, For They Know Not What They Do: Two Novellas, iUniverse, page 64

"You kiss your mother with that mouth?" mocked the man-who-was-ten. Matthew replied, "No, but I kiss yours!"

2009, Ryan Russell, Johnny Long, Timothy Mullen, Stealing the Network: The Complete Series Collector's Edition, Final Chapter, and DVD: The Complete Series, Syngress, page 469

you kiss your girlfriend with that mouth

you kiss your grandmother with that mouth

you kiss your grandfather with that mouth

(rhetorical question, informal, sarcastic) Used to indicate that the other person's speech has become too obscene or vulgar.

con esa boca comes pan

rhetorical question used to indicate that the other person's speech has become too obscene or vulgar


not a minute too soon

She finally dumped her jerk boyfriend, and not a minute too soon

(idiomatic, sarcastic) after an undesirable delay; undesirably late


make baby Jesus cry

en-verb

make baby Jesus cry (third-person singular simple present makes baby Jesus cry, present participle making baby Jesus cry, simple past and past participle made baby Jesus cry)

makes baby Jesus cry (present singular third-person)
making baby Jesus cry (participle present)
made baby Jesus cry (participle past)
made baby Jesus cry (past)

My mom won't let me watch that show. All the sex and violence makes baby Jesus cry.

(idiomatic, informal, often sarcastic) To provoke a negative reaction due to being offensive, unpleasant, immoral, etc.


my eyes are up here

(informal, sarcastic) Said to prompt the interlocutor to stop looking lustfully at the speaker's body.


homophobiaphobia

Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce "homophobiaphobia" — the fear not of homosexuals but of homophobes.

2001 July 3, Bruce Vilanch, “That's Myth Tom to you”, in The Advocate, page 40

Williams's gay critics seem caught in this circular homophobiaphobia, in which the closet is obsessively opened and closed, its limits marked and remarked, its positive and negative charged and recharged.

2010, Jim Elledge, Queers in American Popular Culture, Volume 1, page 197

uh huh. people sure know how to be annoyed about no matter what these days. problem here seems to be homophobiaphobia rather than homophobia. :)

2015, Korhonen, quoted in Susanna Paasonen, "A Midsummer's Bonfire: Affective Intensities of Online Debate", in Networked Affect (eds. Ken Hillis, Susanna Paasonen, & Michael Petit), page 38

(rare, often sarcastic) Antipathy towards homophobia and/or homophobes.


are you deaf

(idiomatic, sarcastic) A rhetorical question asked to confront a nondeaf interlocutor who has failed to hear something.


no homo

You look like you have been working out — no homo.

I love you bro, you're awesome; no homo.

July 7 2011 by Kai Greene
Squeeze your lats. Does that make sense? Take your hands, I want you to grab here on me. Grab my lats. Grab em, grab em, grab em. No homo.

(informal, often sarcastic, often offensive) Used immediately before or after a statement to indicate that there was no homosexual meaning intended, especially when such a meaning is a reasonable interpretation.


fly like a rock

fly like a rock (third-person singular simple present flies like a rock, present participle flying like a rock, simple past flew like a rock, past participle flown like a rock)

flies like a rock (present singular third-person)
flying like a rock (participle present)
flew like a rock (past)
flown like a rock (participle past)

If the wings aren't big enough, your paper airplane will fly like a rock.

When students have compared the wing areas and weights by squaring and cubing the linear ratios, they correctly predict the large one will fly "like a rock"...

1970, American Association of Physics Teachers, The Physics Teacher, volumes 8–9, page 541

(simile, sometimes sarcastic) to travel through the air with little or no benefit from aerodynamic lift


time you got a watch

(humorous, sarcastic) A phrase used to reply to the question what time is it?.


goody gumdrops

Goody gumdrops, I get to take the trash out!

(sarcastic) Implied disdain or disinterest with something.


puh-lease

Puh-lease! I went to a bar mitzvah once. That doesn't make me Jewish.

1997, Don Roos, The Opposite of Sex, spoken by Lucia (Lisa Kudrow)

(sarcastic) An expression of annoyance or impatience.


a fat lot

You're replacing a dead battery with another dead one! A fat lot of good that'll do you!

"I never asked you to get that drug," he said.
"Not in so many words," she said.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well, a fat lot of fun we were going to have without it."

They can't launder fast enough, so what do you do with it? Where do you put it? You hide it in somebody else's place; somebody who han't got a clue what's going on and couldn't do a fat lot about it if they did.

2023, Sally Wainwright, 26:09 from the start, in Happy Valley, season 3, episode 2, spoken by Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire)

(informal, sarcastic, chiefly in the possessive) Little or nothing.


hay is for horses

(sarcastic) Said as a retort to someone saying hey (any sense of the interjection), used to indicate that the speaker disapproves of the usage of the word "hey", perhaps due to a dislike of informal speech.


wonders never cease

John did his homework! Wonders never cease!

(humorous, often sarcastic) Expresses surprise at an unusual action.


oh really

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-oh really.wav

'It's a sniper' shouted the bush.
‘Oh really! Did you hear that boys, it's a fucking sniper. What am I? Am I talking in Czechoslovakian or what? I know it's a fuckin' sniper.’

2004, Martin Pegler, Out of Nowhere: A history of the military sniper, published 2012, unnumbered page

(colloquial, sarcastic) Said in response to an obvious statement.


swamp gas

* (hydrogen sulfide): So called because it is often emitted from wetlands such as swamps as a result of anaerobic bacteria, and is responsible for their foul “rotten egg” odor.
* (ufology): An explanation given by then-skeptic J. Allen Hynek for an alleged UFO sighting in Michigan near Lake Huron in 1966.

(ufology, sarcastic) A skeptical explanation that is provided in order to debunk a UFO sighting that a believer regards as ludicrous, illogical or disingenuous.


nothing personal

(sarcastic) Indicates that one's remark is not directed at the interlocutor specifically, but is a general remark, and thus not intended to offend.


quelle surprise

Borrowed from French quelle surprise (“what a surprise”).

bor

My brother made the same mistake I did, but he didn't get punished: quelle surprise.


Best Korea

Likely originated on YouTube in 2008, on a now-deleted video of a military parade titled "North Korea is Best Korea", which amassed hundreds of thousands of views. Afterwards, further popularized through an image of Kim Il Sung with the text "North Korea is Best Korea", which originated on 4chan in January 2009, from where the term also made its way to Tumblr and Reddit.

I saw a bit in one blog (Bob Cesca? Deus Ex Malcontent?) yesterday mentioning that Best Korea is trading a reduction in plutonium enrichment for food aid. AND they're willing to be more accommodating to inspections.

2011, Doc Smartass, “Re: OT: one nutjob gone”, in alt.atheism (Usenet)

Why don't you go to some trade shows and take Best Korea with you, the manufacturer of the Brown's Gas generator.

2011, rick_s, “Re: Korea”, in alt.gossip.celebrities (Usenet)

there is going to be one hell of a party when Lil'Kim relinquishes control of Best Korea. everyone will be there, and they'll all bring a plate and a bottle and a pc with porn on it.

2013, Nikolai Kingsley, “Re: Bucket, kick, ding”, in talk.bizarre (Usenet)

Best Korea is a famous libertarian paradise.

2014, DVH, “Re: North Korean drug policy”, in uk.politics.misc (Usenet)

2014, Oren, “OT Best Korea... diplomat checks into rehab”, in alt.home.repair (Usenet):

2014, the...@bigmailbox.net, “OT Best Korea blames the video.”, in alt.tv.law-and-order (Usenet):

Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Democratic People's Republic of Korea

(Internet slang, sarcastic, humorous) North Korea; the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.


thanks a heap

(colloquial, often sarcastic) Synonym of thanks a lot


deathbed conversion

en-noun

deathbed conversion (countable and uncountable, plural deathbed conversions)

The dilemma was how to propose a big tax cut and still look credible. Dole knew that the Democrats would mock him for a deathbed conversion.

1996 November 17, “Whatever”, in Newsweek, retrieved 2015-05-28

"A deathbed conversion" was how Representative John LaFalce of New York State described the House Republicans' change of heart.

2002 July 16, Richard A. Oppel Jr., David E. Sanger, “House Passes Bill to Combat Corporate and Securities Fraud”, in New York Times, retrieved 2015-05-28

Gordon Brown's deathbed conversion to electoral reform may look like pure opportunism and widening the goalposts for his team just as the match kicks off.

2010 February 10, Andrew Grice, “Brown's insurance against defeat”, in Independent, UK, retrieved 2015-05-28

(idiomatic, usually sarcastic, often politics) An abrupt, last-minute change in one's professed beliefs, principles, or point of view in order to escape a serious threat or to increase one's chances of success.


are you blind

rhetorical question
rhetorical question#English

(sarcastic) A rhetorical question to someone who has failed to see or notice something.


head

what does that have to do with the price of corn

(rhetorical question, colloquial, sarcastic) A comment used to indicate that a previous comment is irrelevant or unimportant.

what does that have to do with the price of tea in China?


it's not you, it's me

Originally used in American sports as a humblebrag consolation to less successful players. Popularized in romantic contexts by the 1988 American comedy Casual Sex?

Matthew: We have a problem...
Melissa: Is it me?
Matthew: No, no, no. It's not you, it's me. I'm not attracted to you.
Melissa: Oh.
Matthew: Now, I don't want you to take this as a rejection, but as an acceptance between two people whose needs are profoundly incompatible. And you're not alone. I devote an entire chapter to this in my book.

George: I don't understand. Things were going so great. What happened? Something must have happened.
Gwen: It's not you, it's me.
George: You're giving me the "it's not you, it's me" routine?! I invented "it's not you, it's me"! Nobody tells me it's them, not me! If it's anybody, it's me.
Gwen: All right, George, it's you.
George: You're damn right it's me.
Gwen: I was just trying to...
George: I know what you were trying to do. Nobody does it better than me.
Gwen: I'm sure you do it very well.

1993 October 28, “The Lip Reader”, in Seinfeld

‘[…] I've been repeatedly calling him all morning. He won't pick up. All I got was this pathetic text,’ I cough and clear my throat. ‘It said, “It's not you, it's me, I'm sorry Katie”.’

2011, Lotte Daley, chapter 1, in Faking It, Penguin

(often ironic, sarcastic) Don't blame yourself for the end of our relationship.

no ets tu, sóc jo

don't blame yourself for the end of our relationship


kiddie table

EW: You’re nominated for the Best Album for Children. Does that mean you have to sit at a kiddie table?
JR: We are relegated to a pre-televised ceremony.

2011 January 10, Jessica Shaw, “Kid-music star Justin Roberts talks about his Grammy nomination”, in Entertainment, retrieved 2015-10-30

After failing in 2003 to drag Canada into a disastrous war in Iraq, Stephen Harper has achieved it in 2014. And he will sleep better knowing that, when he next dines with the American president and fellow NATO leaders, he won’t be relegated to the kiddie table.

2014 October 11, Tony Burman, “Five lessons from the war against Islamic State”, in Toronto Star, Canada, retrieved 2015-10-30

Organized by Fox News, the main stage, prime-time debate will involve only the candidates polling in the top 10. According to the most recent numbers, Trump, Bush and Walker are leading the way, with everyone else competing closely for the remaining slots — and to avoid the afternoon kiddie table debate.

2015 July 30, Sean Illing, “Fox News and the “batsh*t bump””, in Salon, retrieved 2015-10-30

As if men have not already been the dominating voice in “serious” music, leaving women to the kiddie table of pop.

2015 October 6, Ola Skudlarska, “How You Get The Girl”, in The Strand, Canada: Victoria University, retrieved 2015-10-30

(idiomatic, sarcastic, often politics) The gathering place, forum, or venue assigned to less prominent or less capable participants in an event.


three bags full, sir

/ˌθɹiː bæɡz ˈfʊl ˌsɜː/

/ˌθɹi bæɡz ˈfʊl ˌsɝ/

Referencing the nursery rhyme Baa, Baa, Black Sheep with the lyrics "Have you any wool? / Yes, sir, yes, sir, / Three bags full".

Because, if he speaks his truth, he may no longer have a job and so, instead of living his truth, he says: “Yes, Sir; of course, sir. Three bags full, Sir.” He gives his power away.

2001, Barbel Mohr, translated by Heike Müller, “How Do I Learn to Listen to My Inner Voice?”, in The Cosmic Ordering Service, Charlottesville, Va.: Hampton Roads Publishing Company, Inc., page 31

Some managers took 50% of the income, some even paid the artist nothing but a weekly salary, and still the majority of those artists said, yes sir, no sir and three bags full sir. To a great degree, Epstein changed all of that ...

2004, Paul Charles, The Complete Guide to Playing Live: A Survival Guide to the Rock Circuit, Music Sales Group

Get forensic on to it right away.' 'Yes, sir,' Hatchley said through clenched teeth as he left. Banks could almost hear the 'three bags full, sir'

2014, Peter Robinson, DCI Banks: The first three novels, Pan Macmillan

(often sarcastic) Intensifies a statement of agreement, indicating that the speaker is craven or obsequious.


homophobophobia

It's funny what your homophobophobia does to you.

1999 September 26, CJ Watson, “Re: The Bible and Homosexuality”, in alt.teens.gay (Usenet)

I note that some certainly do seem to be homophobophobes. I.e. they have an irrational fear of irrational fear. This "homophobophobia" seems to cause some social scientists to hide various facts and the like. Also, it's exploited to the point of becoming passe by homophiles in just such a way, to hide facts and the like.

2000 June 22, C.J.W., “Re: Why Heterosexuals should not be in scouting”, in rec.scouting.issues (Usenet)

Futhermore, Oleg resented the fact that, when the Rutgers University administration was planning to extend marital benefits to the "domestic partners" of homosexual and lesbian faculty and staff, I was part of a group that attended an "open forum" on the issue, where we raised our objections and announced the formation of "RUHA", the Rutgers University Heterosexual Alliance, a counter to RULGA, the Rutgers University Lesbian/Gay Alliance -- the vociferous lobby behind this move. We also held a press conference where we introduced a victim of homophobophobia.

2002 March 30, Theodore A. Kaldis, “Re: Making John's Day”, in alt.religion.christian.calvary-chapel (Usenet)

(often sarcastic) Fear or dislike of those who oppose homosexuality.


military widow

(slang, sarcastic) The wife of a soldier who lives separate lives from their husband due to his devotion to the service, leaving the wife a virtual widow.


can wait

en-verb

can wait (third-person singular simple present can wait, no present participle, simple past could wait, no past participle)

can wait (present singular third-person)
could wait (past)

(informal, sarcastic) A response to can't wait that negates the phrase.


I hope you're happy

That wasn't funny! You really scared me! I hope you're happy.

2016, “28 Pranks Later”, in My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, episode

(sarcastic) Said to scold someone who did something wrong, after seeing the consequences.


keep telling yourself that

(sarcastic) Said to someone who has ill-conceived, false beliefs.


your chariot awaits

Purportedly from a Welsh hymn, cited and translated in 1866 by English sermonizer Charles Spurgeon.

Roland, who was holding the dinghy painter, agreed with him. "It's right, Frank," he said. "You know he can never resist a boating trip. O.K., Dick, your chariot awaits."

1957, Frank Evans, The Voyage of the "Petula", page 89

"Come, Mrs. Taylor," he said, "your chariot awaits. This time you are going to get up on the cart all by yourself."

1972, Marjorie Hayen Taylor, Broken Heart, Mended, page 49

"Young knight, your chariot awaits," he announced, as a long silver limousine rolled to a stop in front of them.

1987, Betty Henrichs, Casanova's Downfall, page 61

Travis gestured toward the motorcycle. "Your chariot awaits."

1992, Dallas Schulze, Angel and the Bad Man, page 16

Hey baby, it's me, I am in the parking lot of your building, your chariot awaits baby.

2009, T. Louise, Right Here, Right Now, page 45

(humorous, sarcastic) A vehicle, asserted to be luxurious or of high quality, is waiting to transport the person to whom the phrase is said.


why not Zoidberg

From a phrase on a popular Internet meme that is attributed to the character Dr. Zoidberg from Futurama, who receives little attention from other characters.

For a good candidate for the 2016 Presidential election, why not Zoidberg?

Perhaps rewording the headline? Changing the button text? What about adding a picture near the form? What if we removed the last question on the form? Why not Zoidberg?

2013, Thomas Eisenmann, Managing Startups: Best Blog Posts

(Internet slang, rhetorical, sarcastic) Call of attention to something that is ridiculous.


less-than-stellar

en-adj

less-than-stellar (comparative form only)

Some years ago there were hundreds of musicians of ability, but of less stellar renown, who toured the country, giving performances at less than stellar fees.

1931, Music and Dance, volume 21, Melbourne, Vic.: Australian Musical News Pub. Co., →OCLC, page 27, column 2

Yet the economic seers are at it again, seemingly unabashed by their somewhat less than stellar performances in 1969.

1970, Hardware Age, volume 205, New York, N.Y.: David Williams Co., →OCLC, page 8, column 1

Where a bank may automatically reject any borrower based on a bad credit score, this is not true for all social lending networks. You can still have a less than stellar score and obtain funding as long as you can convince a peer tha your project is worthy or your business model is strong.

2012, Linda A. Jenkins, “What is Social Lending?”, in Creative Financing: How to Get a Small Business Loan without a Banker, Gold Alliance Group, page 1

The Jacksons' less-than-stellar sales led to less-than-stellar bookings, then the less-than-stellar bookings led to no bookings.

2014, Ron Weisner, Alan Goldsher, “The Jacksons”, in Listen Out Loud: A Life in Music—Managing McCartney, Madonna, and Michael Jackson, Guildford, Conn.: Lyons Press, page 83

Instead of discussing how to attract top candidates, states and PACE [the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe] blame each other for being responsible for electing less-than-stellar judges. […] At the same time, less-than-stellar candidates will get the message that they indeed have a chance. In other words, top candidates will not apply as the PACE is unpredictable and unprincipled, whereas less-than-stellar candidates will apply precisely because the PACE is unpredictable and unprincipled.

2015, David Kosař, “Selecting Strasbourg Judges: A Critique”, in Michal Bobek, editor, Selecting Europe’s Judges: A Critical Review of the Appointment Procedures to the European Courts, Oxford: Oxford University Press, page 157

In effect, risk-based pricing creates a penalty for those in the mortgage market with less wealth and less-than-stellar credit. Other estimates on the interest-rate premiums that borrowers with less-than-stellar credit would face exceed the conservative estimates presented in figure 5.3.

2015, Dan Immergluck, “The Housing Finance Debate”, in Preventing the Next Mortgage Crisis: The Meltdown, the Federal Response, and the Future of Housing in America, Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield, page 136

I also quoted administrators at Jared [Kushner]'s high school, who described him as a less-than-stellar student and expressed dismay at Harvard's decision.

2016 November 18, Daniel Golden, “How did ‘less than stellar’ high school student Jared Kushner get into Harvard?: Donald Trump’s son-in-law was accepted into the Ivy League university in the wake of a $2.5m pledge made by his parents”, in The Guardian, London, archived from the original on 2017-11-19

Most telling is her co-opting of Ursula von der Leyen, the less than stellar European Commission president who covets an undeserved second five-year term.

2024 May 4, Simon Tisdall, “Giorgia Meloni and Ursula von der Leyen, the double act that is steering the EU ever rightwards”, in The Observer, →ISSN

(slang, sarcastic) Mediocre; not satisfactory; not very good, poor; not meeting standards or expectations.


water is wet

We constantly “see” heterosexuality in Trek; to say that heterosexuality is explicit in Trek is to say that water is wet.

2009, David Greven, Gender and Sexuality in Star Trek

"You're a monster," Gil said, but his words were toothless, without the fire behind them that he'd previously stoked. Coburn shrugged. “And water is wet, old man.”

For example, the computer desktop is meant to suggest a physical desktop, and files that contain folders are meant to remind users of plain old filing systems. This may seem like we're telling you that water is wet, but the pre-GUI days involved a lot of command line typing.

2015, Katie Morris & Gad Chick, A Beginners Guide to Windows Surface

阿妈系女人 (aa³ maa¹ hai⁶ neoi⁵ jan⁴⁻², literally “one's mum is a woman”)


homophobophobe

You narrow-minded, bigoted little homophobophobe.

1997 September 11, Heh V. Sarcasm, “Homophobophobia runs rampant on alt.atheism! (Re: I Am A Gay Christian And Proud Of It.)”, in alt.religion.christian.baptist (Usenet)

Yes, I am probably a homophobophobe and I might even hate homophobes (though I don't think so, I think most of you are pitiful), […]

1998 April 1, Hugh Young, “Re: Intolerance was Re: Patrick Dunford...”, in nz.soc.queer (Usenet)

Why are homophobophobes obsessed with covering up the behavior caused by homosexuality?

1999 September 3, CJ Watson, “Re: help aus.politics, should...........?”, in aus.politics (Usenet)

(often sarcastic) A person who dislikes or opposes homophobia.


what was your first clue

(colloquial, sarcastic) A riposte to someone who has just stated an obvious conclusion.


upper lip

(humorous, sarcastic, vulgar) Sarcastic or jocular response to a person who has performed oral sex on someone.


laugh away

en-verb

laugh away (third-person singular simple present laughs away, present participle laughing away, simple past and past participle laughed away)

laughs away (present singular third-person)
laughing away (participle present)
laughed away (participle past)
laughed away (past)

Coordinate term: play off

laugh away the blues

(transitive, sarcastic or humorous) To dismiss (something) as unimportant.

We spent the evening just laughing away.

(intransitive, sarcastic or humorous) To pass the time with frivolous and amusing conversation.


sweet summer child

en-noun

sweet summer child (plural sweet summer children)

As an idiomatic phrase, apparently from the 1996 fantasy novel A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin, although isolated occurrences go back to the 1800s. In the novel, a young boy is called a "sweet summer child" by an old woman, since seasons last for years in the novel's world and he has yet to experience winter. Later popularized by its use in the episode "Lord Snow" (2011) of the television adaptation Game of Thrones.

Don't think people have tried to put Mario games in order? Oh sweet summer child.

2015 February 19, Christopher Castano, “Out Of Control”, in The Georgetown Voice, Georgetown University, page 10

"Starts?" I hear you cry, "How can it get any weirder than that?". Oh, my sweet summer children, what George wants me to do while he licks my feet clean is take pictures and humiliate him.

2019, Dee Dickens, Duct Tape and Daddy Issues: Phone-Sex Worker Tells All, unnumbered page

It can't be worse than "X-Men: The Last Stand," can it? Oh, sweet summer child. It can always get worse…especially in Hollywood.

2019 October 24, Jared Rasic, “Film Shorts”, in Source Weekly, page 34

(often sarcastic) Someone who is naive, or who has never experienced hardship.

A Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones
George R. R. Martin
Lord Snow


who would have thunk it

The word thunk is a humorous, nonstandard past participle of think.

He stayed until he saw she had recovered her self possession, then he left, telegraphed to Mr. Hinsdale of Helen's safe arrival—always the same thoughtful fellow—and then went home and wrote sonnets to his lady love. "Who'd have thunk it of 'im?"

1895 September, Frances Cora Perce, “A Sonata of the Woods”, in W. S. B. Mathews, editor, Music. A Monthly Magazine Devoted to the Art, Science, Technic and Literature of Music, volume VIII, Chicago, Ill.: The Music Magazine Publishing Company […], →OCLC, pages 478–479

"Hello, Muggs!" he cried, vainly trying to bestow a pat upon that unquiet animal. "Say, Trevor, hasn't he grown? He's twice the size he was when you got him!" / "It's a way puppies have." / "You don't say so? Who'd have thunk it![…]"

1906, Ralph Henry Barbour, “In the Rowing-room”, in Captain of the Crew, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton and Company, page 147

Think of it, the N.A.R.D. Journal has included in its propaganda work a forcible crusade against long speeches! Wonders never cease; who would have "thunk it"? Is brevity a lost art? With all the ridicule, satire, hissing and rotten eggs showered upon long windedness, it still remains with us.

1916 February 15, “Bodemann’s Aphorisms”, in Romaine Pierson, editor, The Practical Druggist and Pharmaceutical Review of Reviews, volume XXXIV, number 2, New York, N.Y.: Published by Romaine Pierson, […], →OCLC, page 31, column 1

Who would have thunk it? Had anyone told me some 10 years ago that I would be alive to see a black person run for President of the United States and be taken seriously, I would have asked what they were tripping on.

1988, Marcia Ann Gillespie, “Something to Celebrate: Thanks to Jesse Jackson, We are Emerging from the Reagan Years with a New Willingness to Pull Together Again”, in Ms., volume 17, New York, N.Y.: Liberty Media for Women, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 22, column 1

From somewhere in their well-fed, timorous, it-can't-happen-here ranks, a Spartacus had arisen—who would have thunk it?

2001, Stephen King, Dreamcatcher, New York, N.Y.: Pocket Books; 1st Gallery Books trade paperback edition, New York, N.Y.: Gallery Books, January 2018, page 462

(colloquial, sometimes sarcastic) A rhetorical question used to express incredulity: who would have guessed it?; who would have thought that would happen?


king of the castle

king of the castle (usually uncountable, plural kings of the castle or kings of the castles)

kings of the castle (plural)
kings of the castles (plural)

Mr. Matthews, usually nonjudgmental when writing about O'Connor's domestic relations, can't resist calling him "the king of the castle, the smug possessor of a bevy of three fine women absolutely de-voted to him."

1983 April 30, Deirdre Bair, "Enmity, Torment, Adversity" (review of Voices: A Life of Frank O'Connor by James Matthews), New York Times (retrieved 3 Jan 2019)

[A] onetime classmate in Kumamoto said, "I think Matsumoto is trying to create a closed society like the school for the blind he went to. He is trying to create a society separate from ordinary society in which he can become king of the castle."

1995 April 30, James Walsh, “Shoko Asahara: The Making of a Messiah”, in Time, retrieved 2019-01-03

Darren Clarke's impressive victory on Sunday at Montecastillo in the Volvo Masters, the season's finale, was good enough to leapfrog Lee Westwood into second place on the order of merit, but not to dislodge Monty as the king of the castle.

1998 November 3, Andy Farrell, “Golf: World stage awaits Monty's magic”, in Independent, UK, retrieved 2019-01-03

Wainwright, who is composing the music, is partnered with Daniel MacIvor, who is writing the libretto. “Both Daniel and I are used to being king of the castle,” Rufus confides, “so we need a third party to give us a sense of perspective.”

2016 June 18, Martin Knelman, “Music: Rufus does Judy and faces himself”, in The Star, Canada, retrieved 2019-01-03

(idiomatic, by extension, sometimes sarcastic or derogatory) A person who assumes a position of greater importance, authority, or prominence than others.

important person

one who is of greater importance, authority, or prominence


Goracle

Will he use his green moment on the red carpet in black tie to snag blue states and win the White House? ¶ Only the Goracle knows the answer.

2007 March 1, Maureen Dowd, “Goracle needs to ponder near future, especially 2008”, in The Times-Tribune, volume 136, Scranton, PA: Times-Shamrock Communications, →ISSN, page A13

The inconvenient truth that Al Gore laid out in his film and book already falls short of reality. When first dropped, his bombshell was a muffled rumble. […] But as the message sank in and momentum built, the Goracle got our attention.

2007 October, Mort Rosenblum, Escaping Plato's Cave: How America's Blindness to the Rest of the World Threatens Our Survival, New York, N.Y.: St. Martin's Press, page 83

True believers in catastrophic man-made climate change have been waiting for Al Gore to lead them through the Valley of Climategate. This week, The Goracle spoke.

2009 December 12, Peter Foster, “The Goracle speaks on Climategate”, in National Post, volume 12, number 40, Don Mills, Ont.: National Post Inc., Financial Post, page FP21

The film thus takes environmental issues out of the province of the expert and the elite and gives us an environmentalist hero who is more relatable than the so-called Goracle of An Inconvenient Truth, or, to take a fictional example, the paleoclimatologist of The Day after Tomorrow.

2018, Nicole Seymour, Bad Environmentalism, page 69

(informal, usually sarcastic) Al Gore (born 1948), the 45th vice president of the United States (1993–2001), especially when viewed as a prophet of environmental catastrophe.


who are you telling

That performance was off the chain!
Who are you telling?

(idiomatic, sarcasm) Used in response to an assertion that one is already fully aware of.


I'm sure

— Hey, you're standing too close to me.

— Huh, sorry I'm sure.

(usually sarcastic) Used to emphasise an apology, acknowledgement, etc.


you got a mouse in your pocket

From the idea of another referent included in "we," besides the speaker, being invisible.

Your back teeth don't know what your front teeth are saying. 'We know nothing about anything.' Who's we, Connors, you got a mouse in your pocket?

1979, Rosemary Edelman, Fireworks: a novel, page 52

(rhetorical question, informal, sarcastic) Used as a response to statements starting with "we," usually indicating the speaker does not want to be involved in the interlocutor's statements.


deathfat

From death + fat. Coined by Lesley Kinzel as a "counter-euphemism" for morbidly obese in a November 2008 post on the Fatshionista LiveJournal community.

it's made of people you probably see everyday and don't even think are fat, let alone deathfat.

2009 October 8, firefey [username], “Re: Obama with Goths”, in alt.gothic (Usenet)

To put it more succinctly, I am death fat. I am superduper really-for-real mad fat. I am the kind of fat where doctors are friendly until they get me on a scale, and then after that they get very quiet.

2012, Lesley Kinzel, Two Whole Cakes: How to Stop Dieting and Learn to Love Your Body, unnumbered page

Death fat individuals may find that smaller fat people are taking up more space in fa(t)shion and are more commonly seen in these blogs.

2014, Kala Heekin, "Fat Babes In Crop Tops: Representations Of Gender In Fa(t)shion", Society & Culture Undergraduate Research Forum, Volume 6, Spring 2014, page 148


deathfat

Some US fat activists distinguish between ‘inbetweenies,’ who are relatively ‘small’ fat people who enjoy privileges such as ‘passing’ as thin or ‘on their way to being’ thin, and ‘death fats,’ who suffer the worst of the sanctions society places on fat people (McMichael, 2010).

2013, Maya Maor, "More: Fat Women in Israel-Genres and Issues in Identity Construction and Resistance to Social Oppression", thesis submitted to Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, page 104

The protagonist is aligned to the abject in this room as she wears her dress of rot but she is also aligned to the "death fats" and she exists at a great distance from the slender angels above.

2016, Laura Ellen Joyce, “Flesh Home: The Uncanny Female Architecture of Blake Butler's EVER”, in Helen Hester, Caroline Walters, editors, Fat Sex: New Directions in Theory and Activism, unnumbered page

"Even within the international fatosphere and rad places of the internet, a lot of the fat femme people have perfectly chiseled faces. Even the deathfats," Rodríguez later tells me in an interview.

2017 June 12, Marie Southard Ospina, “A Body Project: Cynthia Rodriguez On Their Chin(s)”, in Bustle

(slang, sarcastic) A morbidly obese person.


galaxy-brain

en-adj

galaxy-brain (comparative more galaxy-brain, superlative most galaxy-brain)

more galaxy-brain (comparative)
most galaxy-brain (superlative)

From a popular image macro meme in which a series of increasingly absurd or surreal thoughts is paired with images of a human brain expanding and emitting progressively brighter beams of light, thus ironically framing the ideas as too profound for average minds to comprehend.

On the surface, none of this makes sense. Yet it becomes rational once you explore the context—in fact, if you glimpse the bigger picture, the scene crosses the threshold into galaxy-brain logic.

2018 September 20, Barry Thompson, “Heavy Leather Topless Dance Party”, in DigBoston, page 12

Permatemp, the upcoming album from A. J. Herring's usually one-man band Velma and the Happy Campers, seeks to explore the galaxy-brain realization that the only permanent thing about life is its impermanence.

2019, Natalia Galicza, "For The Record", The Fine Print, Winter 2019, page 10

Hollywood is no stranger to the occasional galaxy-brain take, but this one is pretty out there—as Warner Bros. execs evaluated Todd Phillips’s Joker script back in 2017, they reportedly found themselves in “lively conversations” centered around one jarring question: Does Joker really need to be about, like, the Joker?

2019 October 28, Laura Bradley, “Does Joker Really Have to Be About the Joker? Warner Bros. Execs Reportedly Debated Just That”, in Vanity Fair

(Internet slang, sarcastic) Appearing to be insightful and profound, but actually absurd, incomprehensible, or nonsensical.


well spotted

(vulgar, colloquial, sarcastic, somewhat derogatory) A riposte used in the UK to someone who has just said something obvious.


press F to pay respects

From a prompt in the PC version of the 2014 video game Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare which directs the player to press the F key to touch a fallen soldier's coffin during a funeral cutscene.

The sundry restaurant comings and goings that made our digital readers press F to pay respects will be covered by food critic Hillary Brown in her year-end wrap-up in the Jan. 9 issue.

2018, Blake Aued, "Give the People What They Want", Flagpole, 26 December 2018 - 2 January 2019, page 6

Press F to pay respects to friends who have midterms this week.

2019, "Off The Record", The Student Life (Claremont Colleges), 29 March 2019, page 6

Whether you're reading this as an escape from the buzz of events or found it discarded on a chair somewhere (press F to pay respects), let me take this opportunity to give you a warm welcome to Southampton.

2019, Charlotte Colombo, "A New Chapter!", Wessex Scene (University of Southampton), September 2019, page 2

(Internet slang, humorous, often sarcastic) Used to convey that sympathy, recognition, or credit should be given.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
press F to pay respects


homophobephobe

[I don't want to be tarred as a homophobephobe, or any kind of phobe really.]

1997 June 11, Ben Edgington, “Re: Same-sex blessing...???”, in uk.religion.christian (Usenet)

Dorothy and Mary, from your excessive reaction, you are troll/homophobephobes.

2011 May 13, Hyogoro, “Re: The code in Mona Lisa's eyes solved.”, in rec.arts.mystery (Usenet)

Of course, if one is a “phobe” for opposing a behavior, then those who call others homophobes are actually by their own standards "homophobephobes."

2014, Steve C. Halbrook, God Is Just: A Defense of the Old Testament Civil Laws, page 240

(often sarcastic) A person who dislikes or fears homophobes.


Trumptastic

Trumptastic (comparative more Trumptastic, superlative most Trumptastic)

more Trumptastic (comparative)
most Trumptastic (superlative)

“That wasn't just a dead end,” Jane said. “The whole block had been demolished, probably to make way for another Trumptastic eyesore...”

2010, Anton Strout, Dead Matter (Simon Canderous series; 3), New York, NY: Ace Books, page unknown

Blair was yesterday’s man. The future belonged to the Don. The future was bright, the future was orange. We’re all Trumptastic now.

2016 November 22, John Crace, “The future's bright, the future's orange in Trumptastic UK”, in The Guardian

Is the new show a letdown? I couldn’t say, having never previously watched Celebrity Apprentice. Is it still quite Trumptastic? This I can answer with absolute certainty: yes.

2017 January 3, Bruce Handy, “The Five Trumpiest Things About the New, Post-Trump Celebrity Apprentice”, in Vanity Fair

Trump released a Trumptastic statement saying Bolton’s allegations were not true, “I never instructed John Bolton to set up a meeting for Rudy Giuliani, one of the greatest corruption fighters in America and by far the greatest mayor in the history of N.Y.C., to meet with President Zelensky. That meeting never happened”[.]

2020 January 31, Peter Wade, “Bolton Says Trump Directed Him to Take Part in Ukraine Scheme”, in Rolling Stone

The Democrats aren’t appealing to Trump’s base. They’re targeting suburban voters in swing states. Their convention is designed to give those voters a comfortable place to call home in what is shaping up to be a close election. They don’t respond well to Trumptastic bombast, something Trump can’t grasp.

2020 August 18, John Kass, “Column: Democratic National Convention ignores the elephant in the virtual room: Big-city violence”, in Chicago Tribune

(informal, often sarcastic) Fantastic in a manner involving Donald Trump (born 1946), the 45th president of the United States; very characteristic of Donald Trump.


one should live so long

"I invest here. But when this planet is fully industrialized, I'll get a quarter of their industrial production. Power generators, warp units, computer systems—everything, fur-head, for the rest of my life."
"You should live so long," Offenhouse said quietly, and sipped his drink.

1994, W. R. Thompson, Star Trek: The Next Generation: Debtor's Planet

I went over and kissed her. "Grandma, when I move out will you come live with me?"
"I should live so long."
That is so my grandma.

2013, Ellen Levine, In Trouble, page 139

one should be so lucky
one should be so lucky#English

(informal, sarcastic) Synonym of one should be so lucky (“it is highly doubtful”)


barrel of fun

We all went out to a karaoke bar and had a barrel of fun.

Two hours of root canal surgery – that sounds like a barrel of fun.

1939, Lew Brown and Wladimir Timm (English lyrics), "Beer Barrel Polka", aka "Roll out the barrel"
♫ Roll out the barrel, we'll have a barrel of fun
Roll out the barrel, we've got the blues on the run

(often sarcastic) A great amount of fun or enjoyment, or something or someone that provides this.


what's not to like

What's not to like about Robin Hood? I'll steal from the rich and give to a poor bear: me.

1964, William Hanna, Joseph Barbera, Hey There, It's Yogi Bear (motion picture), spoken by Yogi Bear (Daws Butler)

[…]–one would think that this comedy offered satisfactions for gender theorists, feminists, queer theorists, Marxists, and ecocritics alike. What's not to like in As You Like It?

2009, Linda Woodbridge, “Country Matters: As You Like It and the Pastoral-Bashing Impulse”, in Harold Bloom, editor, William Shakespeare: Comedies, Infobase Publishing, page 23

Kill white people and get paid for it? What's not to like?

2012, Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained (motion picture), spoken by Django (Jamie Foxx)

(informal, rhetorical question, sometimes sarcastic) Rhetorically implying that what is spoken of is undoubtedly good.


A for effort

/ˈeɪ fə ˈɛfət/

/ˈeɪ fəɹ ˈɛfɚt/

(humorous, often sarcastic) An expression indicating that an attempted action or undertaking failed, but the effort in the attempt was admirable (enough so to be ranked highest, as A)


don't spend it all in one place

Since 19-20th century, originally prefixed by "here's a ha'penny". An allusion to criminals paying unusually large amounts in cash, which would raise suspicions.

(humorous, sarcastic) A reaction to someone receiving money, often an insignificant amount.


gigachad

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-gigachad.wav

From giga- + Chad (“a very attractive man”). Although isolated uses exist earlier, the term was popularized by an anonymous poster on the 4chan /pol/ board on October 17th, 2017, who referred to Russian model Ernest Khalimov as "Gigachad". See Gigachad for more.

I heard Robert just donated $500 to Team Trees. What an absolute gigachad!

I have a lot of respect to Tarik for being a gigachad.

2022 March 27, Olivia Richman, “Doublelift calls Tarik "gigachad" for condemning JasonR's sexist behavior”, in Inven Global, archived from the original on 2024-02-05

As per his IGN interview, LMSH took 242 tries to beat Malenia on his own. After this, he just decided that no other player has to suffer the same fate he did. What an absolute GigaChad.

2022 April 18, RJ Pierce, “Legendary 'Elden Ring' Player 'Let Me Solo Her' Is Now Immortalized In A Mod”, in Tech Times, archived from the original on 2023-03-25

His meteoric rise from ironic gigachad to actual gigachad is a huge story in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, but he just one-upped his own reputation. In an RMR match against Ecstatic, HooXi scored an insane HLTV rating of 2.21.

2022 October 5, Kenneth Williams, “HooXi just outfragged the rest of G2 against Ecstatic”, in WIN.gg, archived from the original on 2023-09-25

(by extension, Internet slang, sometimes sarcastic) An extremely admirable man; a Chad among Chads.


big brain

big brain (comparative more big brain, superlative most big brain)

more big brain (comparative)
most big brain (superlative)

2021 September 29, “'Big brain thinking': 3 men attempt to get sofa out of a window, hilarious video goes viral - WATCH”, in TimesNowNews:

2021 October 7, “Islanders return in Nick Leddy trade was big brain move by Lou Lamoriello”, in EyesOnIsles:

2021 October 24, “Sora user does big brain play by zapping Sephiroth through the stage with Thundaga during Super Smash Bros. Ultimate compilation”, in EventHubs:

(Internet slang, often sarcastic) Very intelligent; genius.


Bolehland

From Malay boleh + -land, where the root comes from the expression in Malay Malaysia Boleh (“Malaysia can [do it]”), ultimately from Malay boleh. The term was based on politicians using the previous phrase while failing to resolve various problems in Malaysian society.

der

(Malaysia, sarcastic, derogatory, slang, colloquial, politics) Malaysia.


have you met me

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-have you met me.wav

From meet (“to get acquainted with someone”). This phrase sarcastically implies that the interlocutor does not know the speaker as well as they should.

(colloquial, sarcastic, rhetorical question) Said when the interlocutor has shown surprise at the speaker's typical attitudes or behavior.


stunning and brave

en-adj

stunning and brave (comparative more stunning and brave, superlative most stunning and brave)

more stunning and brave (comparative)
most stunning and brave (superlative)

From "Stunning and Brave", an episode of South Park that satirizes social justice activists and political correctness.

Take the case of [...] a fifty-two-year-old transgender woman who raped two women before being sent to jail […] Stunning and brave!

2020 July 21, Rob Smith, Always a Soldier: Service, Sacrifice, and Coming Out as America’s Favorite Black, Gay Republican, Post Hill Press

Live your truth. Be like one of these stunning and brave heroes of oppression: HEROES. OF. OPPRESSION. Your heart will bleed for each of these brave lads and lasses—not to mention lxsses—who suffer at the hands of the patriarchy.

2021 November 2, Babylon Bee, The Babylon Bee Guide to Wokeness, Simon and Schuster, page 13

The exact same rule applies to US President Joe Biden, who is forever exempt from such allegations. It doesn't matter that black people aren't the property of the left, nor does it matter that they can vote for whoever they choose in a free country, he was absolutely justified when he said, 'If you are African American and you vote for Donald Trump you ain't black.' Stunning and brave.

2022, Konstantin Kisin, An Immigrant's Love Letter to the West, Little, Brown and Company

(Internet slang, derogatory, sarcastic) Used to express disrespect, in particular to suggest someone (especially a transgender person) or something has been promoted as good but is actually bad.


Leopards Eating People's Faces Party

en-proper noun

Leopards Eating People's Faces Party or the Leopards Eating People's Faces Party

Leopards Eating People's Faces Party (canonical)

From an October 2015 tweet by Adrian Bott (@cavalorn) that went viral: "I never thought leopards would eat MY face," sobs woman who voted for the Leopards Eating People's Faces Party.

'I didn't want leopards to eat ANYONE'S face,' sobs woman who voted for the Leopards Eating People's Faces Party.

2018 November 20, James Chalmers (@ProfChalmers), Twitter

Top officials of Leopards Eating People's Faces party, having presented leopard w/ options including face-eating, are flabbergasted that the leopard would eat their face

2020 January 4, Dana Stevens (@thehighsign), Twitter

entire front bench of the Leopards Eating People's Faces Party tendering their solemn and sincere resignations because they can no longer support a PM so shockingly in favour, as it turns out, of leopards eating people's faces

2022 July 6, THE...Sodomite Hal Duncan!! (@Hal_Duncan), Twitter

(Internet slang, sarcastic, politics) A notional political party supported by people who believe its cruel, unjust, or extreme policies and rhetoric will only harm other people, and are then shocked or displeased when these policies and rhetoric have adverse consequences to themselves.


Leopards Eating Faces Party

the Leopards Eating Faces Party (canonical)

Always a rush when Members of Parliament for the Leopards Eating Faces Party suddenly discover the horror of faces eaten by leopards.

2019 August 19, Ally Fogg (@AllyFogg), Twitter

I never thought Leopards would eat *my* face, sobs broadcaster who mortgaged its integrity for the Leopards Eating Faces Party.

2019 December 15, Andrew James Carter (@Carter_AndrewJ), Twitter

"I never thought the leopards would *actually* eat people's faces," sobs centrist politician who didn't really become concerned when the Leopards Eating Faces Party started gaining power.

2022 June 24, Ken Tremendous (@KenTremendous), Twitter

Leopards Eating People's Faces Party#English

(Internet slang, sarcastic) Alternative form of Leopards Eating People's Faces Party.


head

if someone told you to jump off a bridge, would you do it?

(colloquial, sarcastic) A rhetorical question used to discourage the interlocutor from blind obedience.

if someone told you to jump off a cliff, would you do it


Orange Man bad

Intentionally used without a verb, playing into the trope that barbaric or primitive people omit copulas such as is.

CNN BREAKING NOW: ORANGE MAN BAD Is this supposed to be a news site? This looks more like parody news that is not to be taken seriously. Obviously this is the first place you go to when you install the Dissenter app lol CNN IS FAKE NEWS[…]

2019 May 4, Scott Barry, 609 Pages of Horse Shit, Lulu.com

Orange Man bad. Orange Man wanted to drain the swamp and create some balance again. Orange Man was also a complete stand for the sovereignty and independence of America. He was an advocate for all peoples living great lives.

2021 July 20, Mike Shereck, Manhood Manifesto: How Men Must Lead at Home, at Work, and in the Public Sphere, Bombardier Books

Because, because, because Orange Man Bad: ThinkProgress continues, “...even worse, the climate policy agenda President Donald Trump is pushing — actions that include rolling back U.S. laws that reduce carbon pollution and abandoning the[…]

2022 June 8, Matt Teahan, We Are America, We Are Americans (HB), Dorrance Publishing, page 438

(Internet slang, US politics, sarcastic) A statement used to mock opposers of the American politician Donald Trump, implying that they only oppose him because it is popular to do so.


pronounphobia

en-noun

pronounphobia (countable and uncountable, plural pronounphobias)

Pronounphobia omg. Do they realise that they’ve used pronouns in that tweet 🤦

2020 April 10, Charlie (@ThenonbinaryC), Twitter

Fr [for real]. All this internalised pronounphobia, like duh, everyone has pronouns

2020 November 11, 'Ala ad-Din (@IbnAbiQ), Twitter

I agree, there needs to be more research into pronounphobia. Why do so many people get so upset about a part of speech?

2021 May 19, Max Harvey (@max_harvey), Twitter

(chiefly sarcastic) Fear, hatred, or aversion to pronouns, especially as relates to gender.


I will yeah

Judge Olann Kelleher asked the accused if he would be willing to do community service in order to avoid a jail term. Arundel replied: "I will yeah."

2022 June 15, Liam Heylin, “Drunk Cork man stood outside family home shouting 'f***ing scumbags'”, in Irish Examiner

So, what’s the appeal you ask? Is it the privacy? The people? The pints? Honestly, I think it’s a combination of all three… and myriad others. Buttery spuds, Tayto sambos, saying "I will yeah" when you really mean no; those are a few of my favourite things.

2022 August 23, Sarah Finnan, “A love letter to Ireland (from your favourite Hollywood celebs)”, in IMAGE Magazine


for reasons

(idiomatic, sarcastic) For reasons that the speaker does not know or does not want to discuss; for no good reason.


have a normal one

en-verb

have a normal one (third-person singular simple present has a normal one, present participle having a normal one, simple past and past participle had a normal one)

has a normal one (present singular third-person)
having a normal one (participle present)
had a normal one (participle past)
had a normal one (past)

President Donald Trump is having a normal one. On Sunday morning, he mused that perhaps the people behind Saturday Night Live should be sued or prosecuted, which, in fairness to Trump, is a thought most Americans have had at some point or another.

2018 December 16, Matthew Dessem, “Watch the Saturday Night Live Sketch That Enraged Donald Trump”, in Slate, archived from the original on 2022-12-23

Scientists, having a normal one, created mutant toxic fruit flies using CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing.]

[2019 October 2, Maddie Bender, “Scientists Edited Fruit Fly Genes to Give Them Butterflies' Toxic Abilities”, in VICE, archived from the original on 2023-05-09

Sick or high or just having a normal one, it is perfectly understandable that Trump would be melting down in spectacular fashion. His only concern for the last four years has been getting re-elected for four more years, and that's not going well at all at the moment.

2020 October 7, Heather Digby Parton, “Trump's incoherent COVID bluster is destroying him — but America continues to suffer”, in Salon.com, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2022-11-09

How are Republicans taking all of this? ¶ They're having a normal one.

2022 August 9, Sara Boboltz, “What To Know About The FBI's Surprise Raid On Trump's Mar-A-Lago Resort”, in HuffPost, archived from the original on 2023-06-09

Mark Zuckerberg's Meta has launched its Twitter competitor, Threads, and Twitter owner Elon Musk is having an extremely normal one about it. Threads is top-to-bottom a Twitter copycat and is launching at a time when Twitter seems to be having a turbulent old time of it, thanks largely to Musk's fiddling ever since he took over. Now Musk's sending in the lawyers, and getting really quite petty about it.

2023 July 7, Rich Stanton, “Elon Musk mocks 'the false happiness of hide-the-pain Instagram' as he sends Twitter's lawyers in on Threads”, in PC Gamer, archived from the original on 2023-07-15

(Internet slang, humorous, sarcastic) To have a public meltdown, especially on the Internet.


cohencidence

1st Annual Meeting of Israelien Impersonators, held this inaugural year, amazing — O what a Cohencidence! such cohenesthesia!

2010 May 11, Joshua Cohen, Witz (American Literature Series) (American Literature Series), Dalkey Archive Press, →OCLC, page 407

Interestingly, the “Holocaust gassing hysteria” didn’t begin until 1967,
about the same time that the Jews attacked their Arab neighbors and
stole their land — that must be just a big Cohencidence! You’d think
that the Holocaust gassing hysteria would have begun in 1945 or 1946!

2019 March 9, rebcar...@gmail.com, “More Holohoaxing”, in soc.culture.israel (Usenet)

• Soros owns company where Coronavirus broke out.
• Israel-linked Dr. Charles *Lieber* arrested for receiving payment and smuggling biomaterials to Wuhan University.
• Israel was “already working on a vaccine”
• That's some MIGHTY BIG COHENCIDENCES.

2022 June 2, Steven Katz, The Cambridge Companion to Antisemitism (Cambridge Companions to Religion), Cambridge University Press, page 11

(slang, derogatory, humorous, somewhat offensive, sarcastic) Something that seems like a coincidence but is actually the work of conspiratorial Jewish groups.


agendapost

This is a thread about climate change. Please spam your "Jew Bad" agendaposts elsewhere

2021 May 10, @Schingkenspigg1, Twitter, archived from the original on 2021-05-10

Really learn to read the fucking room, not everything needs to be an agendapost

2021 December 31, @prolapsedbussy, Twitter, archived from the original on 2021-12-31

(Internet slang, sometimes sarcastic) A post made on a lighthearted or non-political online community which promotes an overt political agenda.


trutrans

en-adj

trutrans (comparative more trutrans, superlative most trutrans)

more trutrans (comparative)
most trutrans (superlative)

Oh, dysphoria makes you trutrans? That's cool. I've been experiencing dysfiveia since I was a fetus. The doc said it makes me truest trans.

2015 August 19, @GoodTransPosts, Twitter, archived from the original on 2023-04-15

Exi, a white non-binary person, was one of the participants who spoke most explicitly about intra-trans regulation. They told me that they ‘got fed up with reading a lot of the resources [about testosterone use] because they aimed at a specific kind of narrative; I got really trutrans truscum vibes from it’.

2019 April, Rillark M. Bolton, “Reworking Testosterone as a Man’s Hormone: Non-binary People using Testosterone within a Binary Gender System”, in Somatechnics, volume 9, number 1, page 22

Sorry to burst your bubble but you're not trutrans unless you're playing Nintendo. This is worth gatekeeping.

2022 May 25, @tttt_takes, Twitter, archived from the original on 2022-11-20

(transgender slang, sometimes sarcastic) Genuinely or legitimately transgender.


trutrans

Very disturbed at the current attacks on @AutumnSandeen by both radfems and trutrans. Her surgeon seems to have been unethically indiscreet

2011 September 10, @RozKaveney, Twitter, archived from the original on 2023-07-05

when i finally get a choker to complete my outfit im turning into a trutrans

2017 September 25, @saturniidawn, Twitter, archived from the original on 2023-07-05

Genderlife was set up by Calpernia Adams in (I think) the late 90s.
It was a hive of trutranses and chasers pretending to be trans women, but it was all we had.

2020 July 23, @CateSpice, Twitter, archived from the original on 2020-07-24

(transgender slang, sometimes sarcastic) A genuine or legitimate transgender person.


there is no war in Ba Sing Se

A reference to Avatar: The Last Airbender, an American animated television series produced from 2005–2008, in which the corrupt officials of the city Ba Sing Se try to keep order by hypnotizing citizens to believe that "there is no war in Ba Sing Se" even as the city is being besieged.

When something is wrong, and people seem to be ignoring it, we'll often say, "there is no war in Ba Sing Se."]

[2020 July 19, Rich Knight, “Why Avatar: The Last Airbender Fans Have Issues With M. Night Shyamalan's Movie”, in CinemaBlend, archived from the original on 2022-12-27

Today, I'm negotiating with myself: You have tacos in a meal kit box that's arriving in a couple of days, so at least you won't have to wait long. And burgers are good. You like apples, especially Granny Smith. Pork and apple burgers are what you want. Relax, there is no war in Ba Sing Se... Wow, my burgers are so good and exactly what I wanted!

2021 April 27, “A Week In Edmonton, AB, On A $61,000 Salary”, in Refinery29, archived from the original on 2023-01-05

The LinkedIn page is pretty creepy with terms like "Giving employees the best work environment they'll never know with our patented and extremely safe Severance procedure." It gives off "There is no war in Ba Sing Se" vibes […]

2022 March 22, Dean Daley, “Severance's Lumon Industries has its own LinkedIn page”, in MobileSyrup, archived from the original on 2022-04-14

At the very least, even if there is no patch, we now know that they're stating that they're aware of the problem, which contrasts the previous 'there is no war in Ba Sing Se' approach that they were taking.

2022 December 1, Ryan Pearson, “Nintendo Backtracks On Claim They Didn't Hear Of Performance Issues In 'Pokémon Scarlet & Violet' And Releases Much-Needed Patch”, in Bounding Into Comics, archived from the original on 2023-01-05

There is no war in Ba Sing Se, and there are no lesbians in China.

2022 December 16, Andy Golder, “23 Screenshots Of People Being Wrong, Wrong, Wrong In 2022”, in BuzzFeed, archived from the original on 2022-12-29

(Internet slang, sarcastic) Nothing is going on; everything is under control; it is business as usual (suggesting that important information is being covered up).


don't look now

Oh, yeah? Well, don't look now, but we're on the grass!

Dad: You shouldn't be afraid of the ocean, Marvin. Just think of it as a giant bathtub.
Marvin: Well, don't look now, but my rubber ducky just grew a fin.

(sarcastic) Used to point out something the speaker feels is obvious.


galaxy-brained

galaxy-brained (comparative more galaxy-brained, superlative most galaxy-brained)

more galaxy-brained (comparative)
most galaxy-brained (superlative)

CHARLI XCX HAS long been one of pop's most galaxy-brained writers and performers, but she's ready for what she calls her "main pop-girl moment."

2022 February 16, Brittany Spanos, “'Fifty Percent of the Time I'm a Troll': Charli XCX on Her Evil Alter-Ego and Airtight New Album”, in Rolling Stone, New York, N.Y.: Penske Media Corporation, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2023-06-29

All this, according to galaxy-brained internet commentators, suggests that the government is laying the groundwork for a coming "false flag" attack that they can blame on white supremacists.

2023 May 23, Tess Owen, “Teen with Nazi Flag 'Intentionally' Crashed into White House Security Barriers and Made Threats, Police Say”, in VICE, archived from the original on 2023-07-10

(Internet slang, sarcastic) Synonym of galaxy-brain (“appearing to be insightful and profound, but actually absurd, incomprehensible, or nonsensical”)


do a lot of work

en-verb

do a lot of work (third-person singular simple present does a lot of work, present participle doing a lot of work, simple past did a lot of work, past participle done a lot of work)

does a lot of work (present singular third-person)
doing a lot of work (participle present)
did a lot of work (past)
done a lot of work (participle past)

From do + a lot + of + work. Attested as early as 1986. https://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/ads-l/2021-April/159701.html

I have written extensively about this elsewhere, but in this context it is noteworthy that yet again, conspiracy theories abound regarding the government hiding information about these videos, especially since they were filmed by the US military, who admitted they are “real.” That word is doing a lot of work here. When people hear “real,” their brains autocorrect to “aliens” or “Russian/Chinese assets” threatening our country, while the government simply meant that the videos themselves are genuine, not fakes or hoaxes.

2022 October 25, Michael Shermer, Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, page 225

(figuratively, sarcastic, of a word in a phrase) To be an understatement.


the struggle is real

(usually sarcastic) Used when experiencing or sympathizing with a hardship.


cohencidental

(slang, derogatory, humorous, somewhat offensive, sarcastic) Of or pertaining to a cohencidence.


make me

(sarcastic, childish) Used to refuse a request that one do something.


go jump off a building

(idiomatic, derogatory, colloquial, often sarcastic) Used to tell someone to go away, or that their request will not be met.


outside job

From outside + job, by analogy with inside job.

The resource officer suspected the rape incident at our high school coffee shop was an outside job.

(idiomatic, criminology, humorous, sarcastic) A crime or other illicit action committed by an individual not connected or associated with the premises or organization in which it took place.


en-adjective

5head (comparative more 5head, superlative most 5head)

more 5head (comparative)
most 5head (superlative)

Wordplay on forehead. From the name of a custom emoticon on live-streaming service Twitch, depicting a man with an oversized cranium.

This is probably a 5head approach, but I think setting 2-3 lines is useful since the engines don't always choose the best line FOR HUMANS.

2020 June 6, visioner, “Premium Membership - engine analysis”, in old.chesstempo.com

How the Mauser C96 from 1896 is in a game set in 1895 is already beyond 5head.

2023 September 14, Kayneth, “Update dolch”, in steamcommunity.com

(Internet slang, Twitch-speak, sometimes sarcastic) Very intelligent; genius


meet the new boss, same as the old boss

(informal, sarcastic) In life, nothing really changes so one should not have illusions.


rifle is fine

From the phrase "the rifle is fine" with the definite article removed, imitative of the stereotypical mistakes in English speech that a native speaker of a Slavic language, many of which do not have or do not frequently use articles, may make.
Originally an internet meme, popularized in a series of copypastas, posted in 2010 on the 4chan board /k/ (Weapons) by a user under the name "Ivan Chesnokov," facetiously decrying other users for wishing to add aftermarket accessories to their Kalashnikov rifles. The original Ivan Chesnokov spawned a number of imitators and humorous derivatives that helped popularize the term on 4chan and on other firearm and military-focused communities on the internet.

(Internet slang, humorous, sarcastic) Used to mock the belief that something, particularly a firearm, is sufficient, when it is perceived by the speaker to be obviously obsolete or ineffective in the face of better alternatives offered.


crack kills

(slang, sarcastic, humorous) Used to warn others of the dangers of crack cocaine and drugs in general.


no Diddy

In reference to American rapper and record producer Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, after several allegations of sexual misconduct (including rape) were made against him; probably modelled after no homo. Popularised in March 2024 after several properties tied to Combs were raided by the United States Department of Homeland Security as part of their ongoing investigation, but attested earlier (see quotations).

I say it to strangers shit I love everybody brother love No Diddy!

(slang, informal, often sarcastic, potentially offensive) Synonym of no homo (“used immediately before or after a statement to indicate that there was no homosexual meaning intended, especially when such a meaning is a reasonable interpretation.”)


Worst Korea

By analogy with North Korea being known as Best Korea in Internet slang.

(Internet slang, sarcastic, humorous) South Korea; the Republic of Korea.


we wuz kangz

(Internet slang, derogatory, sarcastic, humorous) Used to mock or satirize a discredited but popular Afrocentric theory that claimed that sub-Saharan Africans were descended from ancient Egyptians.


give someone hell

(idiomatic, informal, sarcastic) To criticize extremely severely or extremely angrily at someone.