From what I've heard, the #slang term "def" (in the late 1980s) meant something that was interesting or cool. Then Russell Simmons came along and started the comedy series #Def Jam. If this is true, the band Def Leppard inspired the term. How is it that a #British rock band inspire a #HipHop producing legend to name his show that way? I'm sure it's a long connection, but that blows my mind. #Rap
I mistyped "define" as "defube". I like that; we should invent a definition!
Or... I see that fube is slang for "an involuntary kind of attack that you have in moments of craziness and silliness" – how common is that? I've never seen it before.
@GayOldTime@headword the english had the expression ‘queer as a nine-bob note’ (there was no nine-bob note - ‘bob’ is slang for a shilling; 5 new pence, or 5p) - although ‘queer' in this context may mean something like ‘bent’ in the sense of counterfeit (crooked) #slang
Over the weekend I presented some talks on Australian language and culture for an international language event. The one for Aussie slang was fun - explaining terms like budgie smugglers, spitting the dummy and bringing a plate. Host and I agree our favourite is “it’s cactus” to describe something broken beyond repair. #language#slang#australian#ESL#TESL
You may have seen the words "enshittify" and "enshittification" recently. @Fritinancy looks at where they came from (@pluralistic) and why they caught on:
17th century slang expressions for sex included ‘play at rumpscuttle and clapperdepouch’, ‘play at pork and fish’, ‘feed the ugly pony a fat carrot’, ‘enjoy a game of low archery’, and ‘introduce Lady Wyedon to the charcuterie board’.