Definitions by Fearman
redrum
Word used in the novel "The Shining" by Stephen King and in the movie based on it and directed by Stanley Kubrick. "Murder" spelt backwards. Also works on many other levels, being suggestive of bloodshed, wrath, inebriation, violence, a force that consumes people's lives like some satisfying drink, and something used to subdue the Native American tribes that form a subtext of the film.
... redrum ... redrum ... redrum ... redrum ... redrum ... redrum ... redrum ... redrum ... redrum ...
diamonds on the soles of their shoes
Look at those nouveaux-riches types at the boarding school on sports day. They want everyone to know they have diamonds on the soles of their shoes.
diamonds on the soles of their shoes by Fearman August 7, 2007
Bounderby
Someone who cynically grandstands about their unpleasant childhood, by way of fishing for pity or giving an apologia for their heartless or anti-social behaviour. Very trendy in a postmodernist climate. From the character in Dickens' "Hard Times".
etiquette freak
Someone so obsessed with the minutiae of lower-middle-class good manners that they utterly miss the point of the exercise. The name of the game for these people is not showing consideration for others at all, but merely showing off their own upward mobility in the most vulgar way possible. There are few people more annoying than etiquette freaks, who themselves typically flout the most elementary standards of civilised behaviour every chance they get. A typical etiquette freak would be the character of Hyacinth Bouquet in "Keeping Up Appearances".
There is of course an entire industry of books and other sources supplying the requirements of etiquette freaks, often including such nuggets of folk wisdom as the following, in a book by Angela Lansbury (presumably not the actress): "A lady only has her name in the paper on three occasions in her life: when she is born, when she marries and when she dies."
There is of course an entire industry of books and other sources supplying the requirements of etiquette freaks, often including such nuggets of folk wisdom as the following, in a book by Angela Lansbury (presumably not the actress): "A lady only has her name in the paper on three occasions in her life: when she is born, when she marries and when she dies."
An etiquette freak will always endeavour to have as many different varieties of knives, forks and spoons for their guests as possible at a dinner party. Preferably all laid out at the same time.
etiquette freak by Fearman August 7, 2007
Westboro baptist church
A significant proportion of the population (not many, but enough people) spend their school days whipping other kids, sneering in their faces, tearing up their copybooks, beating up anyone they can while still looking righteous and popular and generally doing everything they can to crush the spirit out of anyone they can get away with so treating. Fortunately, most of them have the grace to leave this childhood unpleasantness behind in due course, and become people of fairness, maturity and integrity who are man or woman enough to, at the very least, apologise to their former victims. And mean it.
And then, alas, there are a pathetic few like the Phelps clan.
And then, alas, there are a pathetic few like the Phelps clan.
Various forms of behaviour unworthy of the most intelligent species on the planet are exemplified, to take two examples, by schoolyard bullies, and by the Westboro Baptist Church.
Westboro baptist church by Fearman August 6, 2007
bartymoe
Trick frequently played by Bart Simpson in The Simpsons in which he calls up Moe's Tavern and asks Moe for someone whose name is a double entendre. Bart sneaks it past him by giving Moe the person's alleged surname first. (Funniest example is when he gets Moe to ask for a Hugh Jass ... and someone else takes the phone ...,)
Bart (on phone to Moe's): Hello, I'm looking for someone called Hugginkiss, first name Amanda?
Moe (into tavern): Hey, do we have Amanda Hugginkiss? I'm looking for Amanda Hugginkiss!
(Bart and the customers roll on the floor laughing, while Moe fumes.)
I played a bartymoe on the girl in Larry's Bar, the other day. She was so stupid it actually worked.
Moe (into tavern): Hey, do we have Amanda Hugginkiss? I'm looking for Amanda Hugginkiss!
(Bart and the customers roll on the floor laughing, while Moe fumes.)
I played a bartymoe on the girl in Larry's Bar, the other day. She was so stupid it actually worked.