182 definitions by al-in-chgo
A term of utter contempt for a worthless, meretricious person, a no-account, with the implication that s/he is of low moral character.
A "bum" has long been an Americanism for a tramp, vagabond or homeless person (and lacking in the "backside" meaning as in the U.K.). The "crumb" may come from the irritating or useless character of bread crumbs or toaster crumbs, but it is possible (despite the spelling) that the first syllable derives from "crummy" as in worthless, detestable. The internal rhyme solidifies the expression.
A "bum" has long been an Americanism for a tramp, vagabond or homeless person (and lacking in the "backside" meaning as in the U.K.). The "crumb" may come from the irritating or useless character of bread crumbs or toaster crumbs, but it is possible (despite the spelling) that the first syllable derives from "crummy" as in worthless, detestable. The internal rhyme solidifies the expression.
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"I have no use for my daughter's ex-husband. Ever since the divorce he drifts from job to job and is always behind on child-support payments. He doesn't even send his child a birthday card! As far as I'm concerned, he's a complete crumb-bum."
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"I have no use for my daughter's ex-husband. Ever since the divorce he drifts from job to job and is always behind on child-support payments. He doesn't even send his child a birthday card! As far as I'm concerned, he's a complete crumb-bum."
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by al-in-chgo August 18, 2010
Name of the rock-based instrumental tune that opened and closed the syndicated Canadian TV show, THE KIDS IN THE HALL (1990s).
The song was performed by a rock trio called "Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet," which name is, unfortunately, one character too long to fit the 30-character limit for tags. The band (1984-1991) was based in Toronto and one of its members was/is friends with one of the Kids in the Hall. Shadowy Men had a successful career in its relatively brief life and has a reputation as both innovative and influential, in that it fused Punk with Surf styles. The group's bassist, Reid Diamond, died of cancer in 1991.
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See also UrbanDictionary listing: Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet.
The song was performed by a rock trio called "Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet," which name is, unfortunately, one character too long to fit the 30-character limit for tags. The band (1984-1991) was based in Toronto and one of its members was/is friends with one of the Kids in the Hall. Shadowy Men had a successful career in its relatively brief life and has a reputation as both innovative and influential, in that it fused Punk with Surf styles. The group's bassist, Reid Diamond, died of cancer in 1991.
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See also UrbanDictionary listing: Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet.
"Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet" is an unusual name, even for an indie band."
"A lot of their tunes have quirky names, too: consider "Having an Average Weekend," which The Kids In The Hall used as the intro / outro music for their show."
"TMI! Unless I can win a bar bet with it."
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"A lot of their tunes have quirky names, too: consider "Having an Average Weekend," which The Kids In The Hall used as the intro / outro music for their show."
"TMI! Unless I can win a bar bet with it."
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by al-in-chgo March 2, 2010
Metaphor describing a phenomenon that is inherently painful or repulsive, but from which the spectator can't turn away -- it's as compelling as sucking a tooth socket that recently had a tooth in it.
"Worst. Play. Ever."
"Why did you stay?"
"It was a like sucking a tooth that had just been removed -- I knew it was awful and would stay awful, but I just couldn't stop watching."
"Why did you stay?"
"It was a like sucking a tooth that had just been removed -- I knew it was awful and would stay awful, but I just couldn't stop watching."
by al-in-chgo July 8, 2014
The seven nations of West Central Asia that form a large subcontinental block and are generally the heirs of Mideastern, Asian far Eastern European cultural, linguistic and religious traditions.
The term is one of convenience often used by diplomats and other students of the region to refer to this large bloc of countries.
They are:
Afghanistan
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Pakistan
Tajikistan
Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan
The term is one of convenience often used by diplomats and other students of the region to refer to this large bloc of countries.
They are:
Afghanistan
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Pakistan
Tajikistan
Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan
"Did you know "Stan" is Persian for "Place" or "Country?"
"As in what?"
"As in the -stan nations of Central Asia and other regions inside or near that area."
"And this helps me how?"
"It's a term you hear every now and then."
"As in what?"
"As in the -stan nations of Central Asia and other regions inside or near that area."
"And this helps me how?"
"It's a term you hear every now and then."
by al-in-chgo December 7, 2014
by al-in-chgo July 24, 2016
"Don't spit in the wind" is a commonly euphemized phrase in the USA, out of "Don't piss in the wind," a British nautical phrase with a literal meaning. Both phrases mean "Don't do something self-defeating," in the sense of "If you try to expectorate (urinate), don't do it into (against) the wind or the saliva (urine) will blow back on you in a nasty way."
A futile act is "spitting in the wind." So is a selfless but unheeding act that "boomerangs" or has dire consequences the doer hadn't contemplated, an act that "did more harm than good."
A futile act is "spitting in the wind." So is a selfless but unheeding act that "boomerangs" or has dire consequences the doer hadn't contemplated, an act that "did more harm than good."
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"You don't tug on Superman's cape /
You don't spit in the wind / *or 'into the wind'
You don't pull the mask off that old Lone Ranger /
and you don't mess around with Jim."
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Popular song, "You Don't Mess Around With Jim", ca. 1972,
James (Jim) Croce, singer/songwriter.
Lyrics copyright (c) EMI Music Publishing (as of this date).
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"You don't tug on Superman's cape /
You don't spit in the wind / *or 'into the wind'
You don't pull the mask off that old Lone Ranger /
and you don't mess around with Jim."
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Popular song, "You Don't Mess Around With Jim", ca. 1972,
James (Jim) Croce, singer/songwriter.
Lyrics copyright (c) EMI Music Publishing (as of this date).
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by al-in-chgo September 15, 2011
A term preferred by some writers in preference to using "homosexual" as a noun.
In a newsmagazine cover article on Gore Vidal in the late 1970s, the celebrated author and essayist explained that, since "homosexual" is used as an adjective ("homosexual fantasy"), the noun form needed something more, well, distinctive and substantive: he used "homosexualist" to describe someone who is gay in practice, or as a state of being.
One doesn't argue lightly with Gore Vidal but there are precedents either way in forming nouns. "Alcoholic drink" / "Joe's an alcoholic," uses "alcoholic" first as an adjective, then as a noun. Similarly, "Green politics" / "Cary has become a Green."
OTOH a medical practitioner of psychiatry is not a "psychiatric" (better used as an adjective = "psychiatric evaluation"), but a "psychiatrist," a description of a person, not a field. One who enjoys sensual things is a "sensualist" but has an appreciation of the sensual.
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In a newsmagazine cover article on Gore Vidal in the late 1970s, the celebrated author and essayist explained that, since "homosexual" is used as an adjective ("homosexual fantasy"), the noun form needed something more, well, distinctive and substantive: he used "homosexualist" to describe someone who is gay in practice, or as a state of being.
One doesn't argue lightly with Gore Vidal but there are precedents either way in forming nouns. "Alcoholic drink" / "Joe's an alcoholic," uses "alcoholic" first as an adjective, then as a noun. Similarly, "Green politics" / "Cary has become a Green."
OTOH a medical practitioner of psychiatry is not a "psychiatric" (better used as an adjective = "psychiatric evaluation"), but a "psychiatrist," a description of a person, not a field. One who enjoys sensual things is a "sensualist" but has an appreciation of the sensual.
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"John is an out-of-the-closet homosexual"; OR
"John is an out-of-the-closet homosexualist."
BUT ALSO: "John is a homosexual," OR
"John is homosexual." -- BUT NOT:
"John is homosexualist."
It is much to be hoped that the definitions above of "same-sex love" or "practitioner of same-sex love" will stand, despite the fact that many right-wingers use it almost as a slur (it can get clinical) and avoid "gay" as a neologism. Don't think it isn't political, either.
GAY: Current idiom in casual speech would have it
"John is gay." Note that "a gay" commodifies John just a little.
See Gay.
"John's love life has been exclusively homosexual since 1993."
"John has an active homosexual love life."
"John is the kind of homosexualist other homosexualists can be proud of."
"John is an out-of-the-closet homosexualist."
BUT ALSO: "John is a homosexual," OR
"John is homosexual." -- BUT NOT:
"John is homosexualist."
It is much to be hoped that the definitions above of "same-sex love" or "practitioner of same-sex love" will stand, despite the fact that many right-wingers use it almost as a slur (it can get clinical) and avoid "gay" as a neologism. Don't think it isn't political, either.
GAY: Current idiom in casual speech would have it
"John is gay." Note that "a gay" commodifies John just a little.
See Gay.
"John's love life has been exclusively homosexual since 1993."
"John has an active homosexual love life."
"John is the kind of homosexualist other homosexualists can be proud of."
by al-in-chgo February 28, 2010