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al benedict's definitions

misspelt

A shibboleth that people that believe that the English language should be static use to find each other.

Kind of like a secret fraternity handshake.
Q: "What is the correct way to say a word is not spelled properly?"

A: "Oh god. You're one of those 'misspelt' dumbasses, aren't you? Shoo! The thumbs down button is up and to the right."
by Al Benedict August 21, 2011
mugGet the misspeltmug.

tauntbary

A music library (iTunes or otherwise) that's visible to your roommates or coworkers, but due to firewalls or DRM restrictions, contains nothing that can be played.
Bob: Bill just shared his iTunes library. Let's take a look.

Bob: Dammit. Another tauntbary.
by Al Benedict December 20, 2012
mugGet the tauntbarymug.

Shrubbery

An unreasonable request added to a task by someone who wishes you to fail. From the Monty Python "Knights who say Ni" sketch.
Bob: "In order to convince me that global warming is real, you will have to show that all temperatures everywhere on the globe are setting records at all times."

Bill: "Uh huh. Would you like a Shrubbery as well?"
by Al Benedict June 28, 2013
mugGet the Shrubberymug.

winger

Derogatory term for someone politically far to either the right or left. Implies an unwillingness to evaluate issues one at a time.
If there's one thing wingers can unite around, it's their hatred of moderates.

I'm anti rent control, pro gun control, pro abortion and think welfare should be tightened. Something for every winger to hate on.
by Al Benedict July 2, 2024
mugGet the wingermug.

Tuvan Phone Call

A phone call in which you choose your words carefully in an attempt to maintain a coherent conversation with the person on the end of the line while giving a completely different impression of what the conversation is about to anyone standing next to you. Usually involves more than the usual number of pronouns.

From "Tuvan Throat Singing", where you sing two different notes at once.
I had a Tuvan Phone Call last night with my girlfriend. We went on for half an hour and my Grandma had no idea we were having phone sex.
by Al Benedict April 17, 2010
mugGet the Tuvan Phone Callmug.

Security by Banality

A computer system made secure by obviously containing nothing of interest. Never a protection against pranksters, in the age of Zombie Spammers, this concept is mostly obsolete.
I protected Mom's computer by installing Windows 98 on it and putting up a thick firewall of bundt cake recipes. True Security by Banality.
by Al Benedict April 9, 2008
mugGet the Security by Banalitymug.

Total Existence Failure

When something malfunctions by virtue of not existing at all. Taken (but not precisely) from "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy". In the original usage, a spaceship existed for a while and then spontaneously disappeared.
Bob: Can I borrow your car?
Bill: Nope. Sorry. It's having a total existence failure.
by Al Benedict October 22, 2009
mugGet the Total Existence Failuremug.

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