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English acronym standing for Away With The Fairies. Despite the inclusion of the word Fairies there is no implication of homosexuality in the expression. It is merely used to describe someone who is in a world of their own either because they are daydreaming or are thinking intensely and thus are oblivious to what is going on around them. The expression goes back to an old superstition, prevalent throughout Europe that fairies, wee folk, call them what you will, could steal a person's soul, leaving behind a husk that stared at nothing until it faded away and died.
Superstition aside, it came to be applied to people who became so engrossed in their own thoughts that they ignored what was going on around them. For a while it was used as a politically incorrect medical acronym written in a patient's notes to describe someone suffering from dementia or in a highly confused state of mind for some other reason. Fortunately it has fallen into disuse medically owing to its meaning becoming known to a wider audience. Its major use now is in the workplace where it describes someone who spends time staring into space rather than doing something useful.
Superstition aside, it came to be applied to people who became so engrossed in their own thoughts that they ignored what was going on around them. For a while it was used as a politically incorrect medical acronym written in a patient's notes to describe someone suffering from dementia or in a highly confused state of mind for some other reason. Fortunately it has fallen into disuse medically owing to its meaning becoming known to a wider audience. Its major use now is in the workplace where it describes someone who spends time staring into space rather than doing something useful.
"Malcolm must be thinking really hard, he's been staring at the wall for over an hour."
"Nah! Malcolm doesn't think, he's just AWTF."
"Nah! Malcolm doesn't think, he's just AWTF."
by AKACroatalin April 14, 2015
Get the AWTF mug.Wouldn’t touch it with a bargepole is an expression indicating extreme dislike and distaste for an object, person or situation. The expression can be used in a similar way to wouldn’t touch her with a 10 foot pole, but is not solely applicable to females; it is even more disparaging when used about a female as it treats her as something less than human. Many bargepoles were 12 or 13 feet long, but one specialised type called a setting boom could be as long as 28 feet! So as you can imagine, wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole means something which you would much rather keep well away from.
by AKACroatalin August 15, 2016
Get the Wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole mug.It’s an adjective; it means able to adjust to new conditions or capable of being modified for a new purpose. It can be applied to both people and objects and some authorities say that being adaptable, able to cope with changing conditions, is why humans are the dominant life form on earth.
It is frequently used in the workplace to describe someone who can handle anything and is capable of taking on the jobs that would have others scratching their heads until they got splinters under their fingers. It is also used to describe members of the British armed forces, one reason, perhaps, why they are the best in the world.
It is frequently used in the workplace to describe someone who can handle anything and is capable of taking on the jobs that would have others scratching their heads until they got splinters under their fingers. It is also used to describe members of the British armed forces, one reason, perhaps, why they are the best in the world.
People are adaptable when conditions change.
The telephone was sufficiently adaptable to go mobile and send texts.
The telephone was sufficiently adaptable to go mobile and send texts.
by AKACroatalin May 19, 2015
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