Bupkis (BUP-kiss)
Nothing, nada, zilch, a USian version of the British buggerall - often but not always used as one of a pair of double negatives: "He knew bupkis about farming"/ "He didn't know bupkis about farming".
Imported from Yiddish ("beans")?
Was reencouternated with this wonderfully whimsical word in a totally unrelated tangent surf-- on, of all things, an automotive message board. Made me wonder how many years it had been since I've heard it used. Time to bring it back?
Bupkis
Yes, this is from the Yiddish for beans.
A wonderful opposite expression for someone that does know what he/she is talking about or doing, "really knows his onions". I have know idea what the origin is.
A wonderful opposite expression for someone that does know what he/she is talking about or doing, "really knows his onions". I have know idea what the origin is.
"Time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening all at once. Lately it hasn't been working."
Anonymous
Anonymous
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Here's the skinny on "know your onions", from the excellent World Wide Words site.Yes, this is from the Yiddish for beans.
A wonderful opposite expression for someone that does know what he/she is talking about or doing, "really knows his onions". I have know idea what the origin is.
Incidentally, "bugger all" has a couple of sibling expressions in Brit. "Sod all" used to be heard much more than it is today. The ubiquitous F-word+all is probably more heard today than when I was a nipper.
-- PW
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention to arrive safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: Wow!!! What a ride!"
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Sweet Fanny Adams is an expression that used to be in vogue. Strictly ostpondial, as far as I know. Acronym-based, of course.I have heard F-word-all from a couple of USians, though usage of bugger- and sod- seem to stay reserved for the UK.
Diddley, Squat and Jack (or jack-****) are more synonyms in North America. How many others might we think of?
-- PW
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention to arrive safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: Wow!!! What a ride!"
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Nice info PW. And I just love "ostpondial"!
Sweet Fanny Adams is an expression that used to be in vogue. Strictly ostpondial, as far as I know. Acronym-based, of course.
-- PW
Last edited by sluggo on Sat Jan 06, 2007 3:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
Stop! Murder us not, tonsured rumpots! Knife no one, fink!
The F-word here is, hopefully yet, not said in polite or even normal society.
mark-reserves-the-really-bad-words-for-self-mashed-thumbs* Bailey
*and usually in private
mark-reserves-the-really-bad-words-for-self-mashed-thumbs* Bailey
*and usually in private
Last edited by Bailey on Fri Jan 05, 2007 10:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Today is the first day of the rest of your life, Make the most of it...
kb
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Sorry to hear you're going around in circles, Sluggo. I know the feeling very well.No, but that sort of society wouldn't apply to the circles I go around in...
-- PW
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention to arrive safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: Wow!!! What a ride!"
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Sorry to hear you're going around in circles, Sluggo. I know the feeling very well.No, but that sort of society wouldn't apply to the circles I go around in...
-- PW
"Blessed are they who run in circles, for they shall be known as Big Wheels."
Regards//Larry
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee
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