by WillWashington October 4, 2009
Get the box spring mug.A spurious definition of the origin of the UK slang term the Dog's Bollock's, perpetrated probably in good faith by Stephen Fry on the BBC show QI.
The researchers for the show put into the mouth of the normally erudite and knowledgeable Stephen Fry the notion that early construction sets were labelled 'box standard' and 'box deluxe':
Fry: In the early years of the 20th century, children's construction sets, like Meccano, were sold in two kinds, labelled "Box Standard" and "Box Deluxe". And that, or so they say and persuade me, is where we get the two phrases "bog standard" and "dog's bollocks"!
These two ideas - one that 'bog standard' comes from 'box standard', which is plausible enough but, as we have seen, lacking any supporting evidence, and secondly, that 'the dog's bollocks' comes from 'box deluxe', which is pure invention. Even if they could come up with such a box label, and that remains noticeably lacking, how is that linguistic jump supposed to have occurred, and why the long gap between the construction sets and the phrase being found in print?
Fry did at least seem to have less than 100% faith in the story and qualified it with etymology's most telling weasel words "or so they say...".
The researchers for the show put into the mouth of the normally erudite and knowledgeable Stephen Fry the notion that early construction sets were labelled 'box standard' and 'box deluxe':
Fry: In the early years of the 20th century, children's construction sets, like Meccano, were sold in two kinds, labelled "Box Standard" and "Box Deluxe". And that, or so they say and persuade me, is where we get the two phrases "bog standard" and "dog's bollocks"!
These two ideas - one that 'bog standard' comes from 'box standard', which is plausible enough but, as we have seen, lacking any supporting evidence, and secondly, that 'the dog's bollocks' comes from 'box deluxe', which is pure invention. Even if they could come up with such a box label, and that remains noticeably lacking, how is that linguistic jump supposed to have occurred, and why the long gap between the construction sets and the phrase being found in print?
Fry did at least seem to have less than 100% faith in the story and qualified it with etymology's most telling weasel words "or so they say...".
by Nodnol April 2, 2011
Get the Box Deluxe mug.Related Words
A Box Shot is a shooter of red wine, hot sauce, and a single alphaghetti on top - so dangerous it feels like a shot to the box.
by Kayelledubya August 2, 2009
Get the Box shot mug.A box social is a very old form of partying. Mostly dominated by the elderly, the box soxial escaped the clutches of the old, and now are making shit loads of fun for the youth.
by Mason Beveridge February 23, 2004
Get the Box Social mug.The intense numb, compressed feeling one gets during an extremely long car ride with no stops-- akin to one's foot or leg falling asleep, except in the gluteus maximus. Can be cured by getting out of the vehicle and walking around and stretching. Origin: misspelling of Box Butte County, Nebraska
Everyone had a severe case of box butt when stepping out of the car in Montana: the last stop had been in Minnesota.
by Lieutenant Kije March 26, 2010
Get the box butt mug.Uh oh, Stephanie - that box gobbler in the corner looks like she's about to make a move on you!
Jackie, what's with those baggy pants and wife beater? Have you gone box gobbler on me?
Did you see Janet's new haircut? She looks like Mark McGrath. OMG, she could be a box gobbler with that hairdo.
Jackie, what's with those baggy pants and wife beater? Have you gone box gobbler on me?
Did you see Janet's new haircut? She looks like Mark McGrath. OMG, she could be a box gobbler with that hairdo.
by kawksuckah February 27, 2008
Get the box gobbler mug.Receiving a blow job while defecating in the upper tank of a toilet. A combination of Upper Decker and Blumpkin, also know as Top Shelf Blumpkin.
by supergenious July 20, 2009
Get the Box Seat Blumpkin mug.