Definitions by AKACroatalin
Skate
This is Westcountry slang dating back to before the First World War. Skates are very slippery fish and the name was applied to people who had slippery natures in that they were untrustworthy, would try to avoid giving information or were just not very likeable. The use of the name expanded to include people who were wheeler dealers or people who do a lot of ducking and diving but no actual work. The name is disparaging but at the same time may hold just a hint of reluctant admiration. It is, however, a warning as a skate has no conscience and is totally unscrupulous and untrustworthy. The term is believed to have been used extensively by the British armed forces and was used to describe someone who was a slippery customer, fishy and who avoided their share of the work.
Skate by AKACroatalin April 19, 2015
SYBTUYA
Pronounced "sib-too-yah" it is the response when offered something of no value as an 'incentive'. An acronym standing for "Shove Your Brian Toy Up Your Arse", it came about as the result of a series of adverts on British television by different companies offering toys to people who would take out home or car insurance with them. These so-called incentives featured meerkats, a bulldog and finally after a series of particularly annoying adverts a toy robot called Brian. The company behind the adverts offered a free 'Brian Toy' to anyone who took out car insurance , home insurance with their organisation.
It demonstrates the contempt that marketing executives feel for the buying public if they imagine that this ridiculous ‘incentive’ is going to get everyone falling over themselves to do business with their company. Needless to say the 'Brian toy' was not the success that the company supposed, with the reaction of most people being "shove your Brian toy up your arse" which quickly became abbreviated to SYBTUYA. Very quickly, its use expanded to be the preferred response to anything worthless offered as an inducement or incentive.
It demonstrates the contempt that marketing executives feel for the buying public if they imagine that this ridiculous ‘incentive’ is going to get everyone falling over themselves to do business with their company. Needless to say the 'Brian toy' was not the success that the company supposed, with the reaction of most people being "shove your Brian toy up your arse" which quickly became abbreviated to SYBTUYA. Very quickly, its use expanded to be the preferred response to anything worthless offered as an inducement or incentive.
"You know Dave's leaving at the end of the month, well the boss offered him a change of title. No extra money, same job but a new very grand sounding title."
"What did Dave say?"
"SYBTUYA"
"What did Dave say?"
"SYBTUYA"
SYBTUYA by AKACroatalin April 19, 2015
Snot Splatter
This happens when you have a severe cold or nasal infection. Your last tissue has disintegrated, your handkerchief is a congealed lump, which should be incinerated to avoid it becoming a hazard to public health, and your nose is blocking up. There is nothing for it but to blow your nose the old-fashioned way. This consists in closing each nostril in turn, with a finger, and snorting vigorously out through the other. The product of this exercise is a snot splatter. Although snot may be a misnomer as the product is usually a mixture of snot, pus and airborne detritus that makes the faecal emissions of a diseased crow’s arse seem positively pleasant in comparison.
It can also be used as a noun to describe the sort of person whose presence makes people instinctively shrink away from them, leave the room as quickly as possible to go through a complete biological decontamination routine.
It can also be used as a noun to describe the sort of person whose presence makes people instinctively shrink away from them, leave the room as quickly as possible to go through a complete biological decontamination routine.
I snorted out a really noxious snot splatter yesterday; I watched it for a bit to see if it moved, I think it did.
Snot Splatter by AKACroatalin April 19, 2015
Lyke Wake Dirge
Lyke-Wake Dirge is a traditional English song, thought to have originated in Yorkshire, telling of the journey a soul makes and the trials it faces, on its way from earth through purgatory to Heaven. Though, ostensibly, from the Christian era and featuring references to Christianity, much of the symbolism, within the song, is thought to be of heathen origin.
The title refers to the watch over the dead between the death and funeral, known as a wake. Lyke is an obsolete word meaning a corpse, and is related to the German word “Leiche” and the Dutch word “lijk”, which have the same meaning. It survives in modern English in the expression lych gate, the roofed gate at the entrance to a churchyard, where a coffin could be held and the bearers rested before continuing on to the church for the burial service. "Lyke-wake" could also stem from the Norse influence on the Yorkshire dialect, the contemporary Norwegian and Swedish words are still "likvake" and "likvaka" respectively ("lik" and "vaka"/"vake" with the same meanings as previously described for "lyke" and "wake").
The old ballad affirms that safety and comfort of the soul in overcoming the difficulties it faces are directly related to the dead person's willingness to have given charitably during their lifetime.. The poem on which it is based was first collected, in 1686, by John Aubrey. Aubrey also recorded that it was definitely being sung in 1616, but was believed to be much older.
The title refers to the watch over the dead between the death and funeral, known as a wake. Lyke is an obsolete word meaning a corpse, and is related to the German word “Leiche” and the Dutch word “lijk”, which have the same meaning. It survives in modern English in the expression lych gate, the roofed gate at the entrance to a churchyard, where a coffin could be held and the bearers rested before continuing on to the church for the burial service. "Lyke-wake" could also stem from the Norse influence on the Yorkshire dialect, the contemporary Norwegian and Swedish words are still "likvake" and "likvaka" respectively ("lik" and "vaka"/"vake" with the same meanings as previously described for "lyke" and "wake").
The old ballad affirms that safety and comfort of the soul in overcoming the difficulties it faces are directly related to the dead person's willingness to have given charitably during their lifetime.. The poem on which it is based was first collected, in 1686, by John Aubrey. Aubrey also recorded that it was definitely being sung in 1616, but was believed to be much older.
Lyke Wake Dirge by AKACroatalin April 18, 2015
FISH & CHIPS
British Army acronym describing urban warfare, it stands for Fighting In Someone's House & Causing Havoc In People's Streets. It probably comes from some squaddie saying that urban warfare was fighting in someone’s house, another realised that it spelled “FISH”. The logical thing, given the British soldiers’ sense of humour would be to add “& CHIPS” and find something appropriate to match the letters. Strictly speaking that makes it a bacronym, but a remarkably appropriate one for all that.
FISH & CHIPS by AKACroatalin April 18, 2015
Backronym
A backronym is an acronym constructed retrospectively to fit a word. The term was probably first used by Alan Chapman a business consultant based in Leicester England.
Backronym by AKACroatalin April 18, 2015
Lych Gate
A lych gate is a roofed gateway to a churchyard with a stand on which the people carrying the coffin could place it, while they rested before moving into the church for the service. Often a lych gate would have seats as, before the days of motorised hearses, coffins were often carried considerable distances. The lych gate gave those carrying the coffin the opportunity to rest and gather themselves before carrying the departed on the last leg of their journey with care and dignity.
Lych Gate by AKACroatalin April 17, 2015