quote-laundering

The act of citing a source to support a hypothesis and burying the reference in a footnote or endnote that, once investigated, turns out to be irrelevant, spurious or entirely fictitious.

Similar to quote-stuffing, a common practice in academic paper-writing, but not to be confused with quote mining.

I was trying to track down that juicy reference that Malcolm Gladwell dropped about what Nietzsche said about cell phones but it turned out to be total quote-laundering.

quote-laundering by panopticonopolis December 1, 2011

Get merch

Get the quote-laundering mug.

See more merch

quote laundering

The process by which a counterfeit quotation or news item eventually gets picked up by multiple news sources, which cite one another but never lead back to a verifiable source (because there isn't one). The quote's appearance on multiple forums and news aggregators lends it credibility because it is viewed as "reported" by multiple outlets.

Laundered quotes can originate from satire that is not recognized as satire, but more frequently from an Internet writer who is paraphrasing or outright fabricating.

No matter how many places you see it mentioned, the starlet never actually Tweeted that "Scientology is an abusive cult." A comedian said this while doing an impression of her, and then quote laundering took over.

quote laundering by bluebelle September 4, 2013

Get merch

Related Words

quote-laundering • quote unquote • Quote Bomb • quote mining • quote on quote • Quote 1 • !quote 115 • quote alex • Quote-a-palooza • quote board

Hate Sink

A person you hate intensely not because they deserve such hatred but because they serve as a focus for your general hatred. A healthy way to dispense with excess animosity.

Jake's not really that big an asshole. He just serves as my hate sink.

Hate Sink by The great prophet Zarquon August 7, 2016

Word of the Day on July 26, 2026

Get merch

funiosity

The art of being peculiar, but in an amusing fashion.

"Wow, look at that dog running on three legs"
- "Yeah, that sure is a funiosity"

funiosity by Supersonic Stevie November 23, 2007

Word of the Day on July 25, 2026

Get merch

Toe Rag

A toe rag was originally a foot wrapping used, since mediaeval times up until the mid-nineteenth century, to protect the foot from chafing by boots or shoes. As these were, quite literally, rags they weren’t usually washed, and so with use they became very smelly until they were thrown away. Because of the similarity in smell, toe rag also became the name applied to dried, salted cod or other things with a strong, unpleasant, fishy smell. It didn’t take that long before the name was applied to someone who was an obnoxious, unpleasant OIC.

1 “Socks! Those aren’t socks you smelly git, they’re toe rags!”
2 “What have you been cooking? Smells like toe rag!”
3 “I can smell ‘er fanny from ‘ere, proper toe rag.”
4 That Heale Malcolm is a right toe rag.

Toe Rag by AKACroatalin November 29, 2016

Word of the Day on July 24, 2026

Get merch

Eternity leave

When some resigns or retires from a job, they are on "eternity leave". This can also refer to someone who has passed away, especially someone who worked somewhere for a long time, retired/resigned, then passed away later.

Oh I'm sorry, you didn't know that Kelly is on eternity leave? She resigned and moved to Hawaii!

With regrets I would like to inform you that my boss is officially on eternity leave. I will never see or hear them again. Ever.

Eternity leave by LingDanc803 February 7, 2023

Word of the Day on July 23, 2026

Get merch

jody

The hypothetical man (often a sinister character who decided not to go to boot camp) that is doing your girlfriend/wife while you are on deployment overseas.

Ain't no use in goin home,
Jody's got your girl and gone.
Ain't no use in goin back,
Jody's got your Cadillac,
Ain't no use in feeling blue,
Jody's took your checkbook too.

jody by Sgt Apan March 31, 2006

Word of the Day on July 22, 2026

Get merch