Blow off steam
Blow off steam by VacuumOfDeath December 13, 2008
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Blow off some steam
To take part in a perceived fun activity or activities after an intense emotional taxing day or days at work , school, or home. Always associated with doing something different to get your mind away from your problems. Typical non-harmful activities include exercising, sex, playing games, camping, dancing, watching a movie, listening to music.
Some activities can be satisfying but ultimately detrimental to your health such as binging on alcohol, drugs, smoking, or food.
Other activities can be criminal. Spray Painting walls, vandalizing homes or places of businesses, rioting (usually after a favorite team loses), or physically taking their aggressions out on people (spousal abuse, worker abuse or detainee abuse have been cited as blowing off some steam).
Some activities can be satisfying but ultimately detrimental to your health such as binging on alcohol, drugs, smoking, or food.
Other activities can be criminal. Spray Painting walls, vandalizing homes or places of businesses, rioting (usually after a favorite team loses), or physically taking their aggressions out on people (spousal abuse, worker abuse or detainee abuse have been cited as blowing off some steam).
Example 1:
Buddy 1: "Damn, your boss is making you work weekends and overtime over something he did wrong? WTF?
Buddy 2: "I know man, well lets go to the bar, grab some brews and blow off some steam"
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Example 2 (CBS News):
Rush Limbaugh trying to explain why detainees were tortured by U.S. personnel in Abu Ghraib, Iraq:
"This is no different than what happens at the Skull and Bones initiation, and we're going to ruin people's lives over it, and we're going to hamper our military effort, and then we are going to really hammer them because they had a good time. You know, these people are being fired at every day. I'm talking about people having a good time, these people, you ever heard of emotional release? You ever heard of need to blow some steam off?"
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Example 3:
Her: "I don't feel like having sex tonight, my hair is a mess and I have a headache....(10 seconds later) ..Where are you going?"
Him: "Gonna blow off some steam (Drives off)"
Buddy 1: "Damn, your boss is making you work weekends and overtime over something he did wrong? WTF?
Buddy 2: "I know man, well lets go to the bar, grab some brews and blow off some steam"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Example 2 (CBS News):
Rush Limbaugh trying to explain why detainees were tortured by U.S. personnel in Abu Ghraib, Iraq:
"This is no different than what happens at the Skull and Bones initiation, and we're going to ruin people's lives over it, and we're going to hamper our military effort, and then we are going to really hammer them because they had a good time. You know, these people are being fired at every day. I'm talking about people having a good time, these people, you ever heard of emotional release? You ever heard of need to blow some steam off?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Example 3:
Her: "I don't feel like having sex tonight, my hair is a mess and I have a headache....(10 seconds later) ..Where are you going?"
Him: "Gonna blow off some steam (Drives off)"
Blow off some steam by The Fuzzy Popsicle July 8, 2009
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Striver
The striver is an interesting phenomenon that is seen across college campuses. In essence, the striver is an over-achiever who comes from a working or middle class family. He may be an immigrant. He may have been a slacker in HS who was "born again" into an academic wunderkind. Or he may just be an over-achiever who is keeping at it.
The striver is willing to sacrifice his social life at the expense of Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude. The striver is the guy who stays at the library long after you are gone. The striver is the guy who takes 30 credits/semester and considers anything below an A/4.0 failure. The striver doesn't work on campus, he is too busy finding ways to pad his resume instead of working retail or workstudy. The striver lets his grades pay his education by applying to ten scholarships a year.
The striver is a future Soros/Fullbright/Rhodes/Gates/Marshall/etc. fellow. The striver lives to study. For the striver, their fun comes from the rewards they expect to receive in return for their diligence. Be it Law School, B-School, academia, or politics. The striver seeks to find the American Dream through academic success.
The striver is willing to sacrifice his social life at the expense of Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude. The striver is the guy who stays at the library long after you are gone. The striver is the guy who takes 30 credits/semester and considers anything below an A/4.0 failure. The striver doesn't work on campus, he is too busy finding ways to pad his resume instead of working retail or workstudy. The striver lets his grades pay his education by applying to ten scholarships a year.
The striver is a future Soros/Fullbright/Rhodes/Gates/Marshall/etc. fellow. The striver lives to study. For the striver, their fun comes from the rewards they expect to receive in return for their diligence. Be it Law School, B-School, academia, or politics. The striver seeks to find the American Dream through academic success.
Anthony was a striver. He transfered from a TTT to an IVY and graduated in 2 years. He studied his ass off and went to Penn Law. He got a Biglaw offer. But lost it all because of an unmoderated mesasgeboard.
Successful strivers:
- Barack Obama
- Harold Koh
Successful strivers:
- Barack Obama
- Harold Koh
Striver by URM Striver January 3, 2009
Word of the Day on August 15, 2026