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Definitions by Athene Airheart

give hell 

To really whoop someone or give them trouble. To attack. If you really bust someone up and thoroughly kick their tailfeathers, you will have given them hell.

Since hell is a bad place full of suffering, to give someone hell is to create your own little part of it just for them.

It can also be a term for teasing or general razzing, ("he was really giving you hell at the party, wasn't he?") as well as winning in an athletic event. "We really gave that team hell."
If you are fighting a ferocious enemy, and want to charge up your troops, a good thing to shout would be "Give 'em hell!"
give hell by Athene Airheart March 18, 2004

benchmarks

1. A reference mark that something is measured against. The original benchmarks are places on the workbench used to measure common lengths of material, such as lumber.

2. In surveying, a "bench mark" (two words) is a post or other permanent mark established at a known elevation that is used as the basis for measuring the elevation of other topographical points.

In computer and Internet technology, the term may have any of these meanings:

1) A set of conditions against which a product or system is measured. PC magazine laboratories frequently test and compare several new computers or computer devices against the same set of application programs, user interactions, and contextual situations. The total context against which all products are measured and compared is referred to as the benchmark.

2) A program that is specially designed to provide measurements for a particular operating system or application.

3) A known product with which users are familiar or accustomed to that other newer products can be compared to.

4) A set of performance criteria which a product is expected to meet.
Laboratory benchmarks sometimes fail to reflect real-world product use. For this reason, Eric Raymond defines a benchmark as "an inaccurate measure of computer performance" and cites the "old hacker's saying" that "In the computer industry, there are three kinds of lies: lies, damn lies, and benchmarks."

Still, benchmarks can be useful and some companies offer benchmark programs for downloading or a benchmark testing service on their own site.
benchmarks by Athene Airheart March 18, 2004

schlamazel

One who is always getting the soup spilled on him by the schlemiel.
Sometimes Bob can also be a schlemiel, when he's not being a schlamazel.
schlamazel by Athene Airheart March 17, 2004

schlemiel 

Someone who tends to go around spilling soup on people.

See schlamazel.

From the Yiddish.
Bob is a real schlemiel, he can't do anything right.
schlemiel by Athene Airheart March 17, 2004

23 Skidoo 

A nonsense phrase used in the 20s. See 28 Skidoo. Usually a positive thing.
"23 Skiddoo!" said the flapper as she checked out the guy in the zoot suit.
23 Skidoo by Athene Airheart March 15, 2004
Slang for a really really good airplane. (I.E. dependable, reliable, cute, affordable.) Refers to the Cessna 152 model, which is one of the greatest training aircraft ever.
"That plane over there is a real Cessna!"
Cessna by Athene Airheart March 14, 2004
Throwing up, vomiting. Usually in large quantities.
"Boy, he horfed all over the floor!"
Horf by Athene Airheart March 14, 2004