fearman's definitions

West Brit

Derogatory term used in Ireland to describe anyone who believes British (i.e. English) culture, goods or whatever to be invariably superior to their Irish counterparts. Not necessarily living in Dublin, although the capital boasts at least its fair share of them.

Nicola is a right West Brit. She has been living in County Cork for the last nine years and she still gets her milk and bread direct from Surrey.

by Fearman October 31, 2007

rosaproboscideaphobia

Morbid or irrational fear of pink elephants. A motivating factor in many Prohibitionist or Temperance movements.

She's off the drink after developing a severe case of rosaproboscideaphobia.

by Fearman March 6, 2008

couldn't be rat-arsed

In other words, couldn't be bothered.

We tried to get him to send in the form on time, but he couldn't be rat-arsed.

by Fearman May 24, 2008

might as well be hung for a sheep as for a lamb

Expression used in resentment as a reason for doing something deemed unethical when one knows one is going to be accused of doing that thing anyway, particularly when there is much to be gained by doing it.

They are going to accuse me of doing nothing and/or of working and drawing the dole at the same time, so I might as well be hung for a sheep as for a lamb.

by Fearman December 28, 2007

strawcab

Approximation of "backwards" spelt backwards. Used to denote intimate familiarity with something.

I'll have to learn the next three chapters off strawcab or the geography teacher will have my ass in detention for the rest of the year.

by Fearman May 24, 2008

Mars

1. Fourth planet from the Sun. Diameter 4,220 miles. Called the Red Planet from its colour as seen through a telescope; colour varies from butterscotch to dark brown. Much of this is from iron oxide (rust) in surface rocks. Surface gravity 38 percent that on Earth, about the same as Mercury, an effect jointly of Mars' larger size and lower density. The least dense of the rocky terrestrial planets in the system. One tenth of Earth's mass. Atmosphere mostly carbon dioxide, surface pressure varies by location and season between about 5 and 7 millibars. Surface features include Mariner Valley, a canyon system that would stretch across the United States on Earth, and four large shield volcanoes on the highland area known as the Tharsis Bulge, the largest of which is Olympus Mons, the largest mountain on any major planet in the system, three times the height of Everest and covering an area about the size of Romania. Has been visited by numerous space probes, including the Viking landers, the Sojourner rover and the Spirit and Opportunity Rovers. Currently being orbited by the Odyssey, Express and Reconnaissance Orbiters, making it the planet with the most artificial satellites beyond Earth. Although the surface is almost certainly sterile, Mars has often been imagined as an abode of life, appearing as such in works by, among others, C.S. Lewis, H.G. Wells and Edgar Rice Burroughs. There is some evidence of liquid surface water in its early history, although the atmosphere has grown too thin to allow this any more. Appears in some ways earthlike, with dust storms (especially at perihelion passage, the closest passage to the sun), growing and shrinking (largely carbon dioxide) ice caps and even, at 24 hours and 40 minutes, the most earthlike length of day of any other planet in this system. Two moons, Phobos and Deimos, both asteroids, circle the planet, the former the lowest-orbiting moon of any major planet in the system and set to run smack into Mars in about another 40 million Earth years.

2. The fourth planet's namesake, the ancient Roman god of war. Bit of a meathead, but then it was his job. Had an affair with Venus ... well, who wouldn't? Greek equivalent was Ares.

3. Chunky nougat-caramel-chocolate bar, or the company that makes them.

In the previous few months, Mars had been getting brighter in the night sky.

Oh Mars, let my armies surround those of my enemy Calipurnius and righteously whup his ass.

Got a Mars Bar?

by Fearman May 10, 2008

Abroccolipse

And then the Lamb opened the Seventh Seal: and yeay, I saw upon a white horse all the little children who wouldn't eat their greens, and all the chunky little greens that they had ever refused to eat fell from the firmament upon the earth in a great cascade of green, and the children descended from the back of the great white horse, and there was weeping and gnashing of teeth and quite a bit of chewing until the sounding of the final trumpets.

The above is from the Abroccolipse of St. Elmo the Vegetarian.

by Fearman February 23, 2008