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19 Feb 08 - 12:25 PM (#2266382) Subject: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Little Hawk One of the best UK expressions! Just link the word "dead" with any other adjective in order to raise it to the ultimate amplitude: dead stupid - as stupid as a person can possibly get dead lazy - lazier than the laziest hound dog in Georgia dead ugly - so ugly that you can break a mirror just by looking at it |
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19 Feb 08 - 12:29 PM (#2266387) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Megan L Or in Glasgow "See that thats pure dead brilliant so it is" |
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19 Feb 08 - 12:35 PM (#2266396) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: McGrath of Harlow Dead dead? |
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19 Feb 08 - 12:40 PM (#2266401) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Little Hawk That would mean no hope of resuscitation whatsoever. |
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19 Feb 08 - 12:41 PM (#2266402) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: redsnapper Dead cert = probability that a thread discussing what folk music is will degenerate into an acrimonious free-for-all |
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19 Feb 08 - 12:42 PM (#2266404) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Stilly River Sage Waking the Dead is a British murder mystery we see on PBS here. Of course, they're not really awake. . . |
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19 Feb 08 - 12:51 PM (#2266415) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Q (Frank Staplin) 'dead' must have been used in every possible sense. dead last dead in the water dead as a mackerel, dodo, etc. dead wind dead straight dead hand dead vote dead certain dead lives dead wood dead ice dead steam dead silence dead pull dead water dead center dead time dead drunk dead level dead calm dead-alive dead beat dead head dead ahead dead slow dead on dead shot dead eye deadfall dead letter dead heat dead weight dead dumb etc., &c., and so forth |
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19 Feb 08 - 01:00 PM (#2266422) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Wolfgang UK expression? I've learned that use of "dead" from a Canadian Native. When I told him about my dangerous habit of forcing cars to a halt with my bicycle when it is my right to pass first he quipped: "One day you may not just be right you may even be dead right." Wolfgang |
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19 Feb 08 - 01:19 PM (#2266452) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: PoppaGator This usage may be more prevalent in the UK than elsewhere, but it is certainly not unknown in the US. "Dead certain," for example, is very common and familiar hereabouts, although other constructions, like "dead stupid," would be less so. This reminds me of a similar linguistic quirk, this one more strictly regional: New Englanders' predeliction for the word "wicked" as an all-purpose intensifier. My favorite paradoxical example: "wicked good." |
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19 Feb 08 - 01:20 PM (#2266455) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Leadfingers Ithought this thread may have been a Darwin Awards comment ! Clicky |
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19 Feb 08 - 01:39 PM (#2266480) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Amos American English has plenty of uses of the word "dead" to mean "absolute" or "completely", a sin "top dead center", "dead slow ahead" (a maritime engine-room command), and "dead-eye dick" for a sharpshooter. Although why anyone would use his dick for that purpose is beyond me. Cf. "dead-eyes", the lignum vitae blocks used for securing ratlines to chainplates in older vessels. A |
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19 Feb 08 - 01:44 PM (#2266489) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Ebbie I once heard someone report that someone had been killed dead. |
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19 Feb 08 - 02:06 PM (#2266506) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Little Hawk It is far more prevalent in the UK. If someone calls someone else "dead stupid", you can practically guarantee that it's someone from the UK using the expression. There are, however, other expressions such as "dead drunk" which are to be found commonly in all English-speaking cultures. Same goes for "dead right". |
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19 Feb 08 - 02:57 PM (#2266558) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Jim Carroll In Liverpool we used to refer to people with no personality as 'Dead Lash' - stopped using it when I realised the connection with one of my favourite comediens Mort Sahl - Mort = Dead (Latin) Sahl = (anagram of lash). Jim Carroll |
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19 Feb 08 - 03:00 PM (#2266564) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Linda Kelly ken dodd's dad's dog's dead. |
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19 Feb 08 - 05:33 PM (#2266777) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: McGrath of Harlow No one's mentioned "dead good" so far. Oddly enough I can't see anyonee ever saying "dead bad". |
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19 Feb 08 - 06:04 PM (#2266817) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Little Hawk Anyone who's read the delightful Adrian Mole books will be quite familiar with the typical UK uses of "dead (whatever)". His hated rival Barry Kent, for example, impresses Adrian's favorite girl of the time (Pandora Braithwaite?) by his habit of sticking safety pins through his facial skin (he was going through a punk phase). The girl says she thinks Barry is "dead brave" for doing that. Adrian responds sarcastically that he thinks Barry is "dead stupid" for doing that. On this occasion, I'd have to agree with Adrian. ;-) In Barry Kent's defence though, I must admit the lad has plenty of physical courage...something Adrian Mole is conspicuously lacking in. |
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19 Feb 08 - 06:16 PM (#2266833) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Gurney I have a dead-blow hammer somewhere. Honest. It doesn't mean what some folks probably think it means. It is hollow, with metal balls inside. It doesn't rebound when used. A very young lady once exclaimed to me "That's dead killing, that is!" I think she meant it was good. |
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19 Feb 08 - 08:05 PM (#2266939) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Rapparee I'm a dead shot, shooting things dead center every time I take dead aim. |
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20 Feb 08 - 01:06 AM (#2267098) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Ebbie I hope you're shooting at a dead end, Rap. |
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20 Feb 08 - 02:04 AM (#2267115) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Barry Finn I don't know where I've picked this up, but I'm fond of using backwards expresions. "She's drop dead gorgeous" (couldn't be more pretty). Barry |
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20 Feb 08 - 02:04 AM (#2267116) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Little Hawk Dead likely. |
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20 Feb 08 - 02:16 AM (#2267125) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Georgiansilver Your idea for this thread was 'dead on' LH. |
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20 Feb 08 - 02:23 AM (#2267132) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: The Fooles Troupe Many of these expressions come from the concept of 'something that does not move or sound when struck' - like spectators in a Muso circle... |
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20 Feb 08 - 03:09 AM (#2267147) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: GUEST,PMB You don't get dead bad, but you do get dead rotten. Or even dead bloody rotten. And dead dannan for the really dead icated, I dead juice. |
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20 Feb 08 - 09:19 AM (#2267314) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Rapparee Well, I always make dead certain that the bullets will make a dead stop and not even go into a dead zone behind. I'd be a dead failure if I allowed that, because I'd be dead sorry if someone ended up dead dead. |
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20 Feb 08 - 12:34 PM (#2267536) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: An Buachaill Caol Dubh Re Megan L's posting of yesterday; the expression "pure dead brilliant" was actually part of the script (it became a bit of a "catchphrase" for one of the characters) in a BBC Scotland comedy series about twenty years ago, and was never part of Glasgow "patter" until then; I suspect it was synthesised out of the kind of usages of "dead" as an intensifier which we've got above and the contemporary usages of "pure" in much the same way, especially by the young. Don't know if "pure dead brilliant", or "pure dead [anything]" are used at all now, even in jest; but I can certainly confirm that, some five/ten years back, it was possible (for a teenager) to say simply that something was (simply) "pure", without necessarily referring to water or drugs. They all knew what they meant, even if no-one else did. Inevitably, it soon became possible to say something like: "See that? That's pure Pure, so it is." (I added the first phrase and the last just to give a bit of context; maybe I should have added a "like", too). And that's dead true, by the way. |
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20 Feb 08 - 01:27 PM (#2267600) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: catspaw49 "Dead nuts on (or accurate)".............I used it most of my working life along with "Balls on accurate" and the combo of "Dead nuts balls on the mark" meaning the highest accuracy. Never had a clue why or even gave the individual words a thought. Spaw |
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20 Feb 08 - 01:38 PM (#2267608) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Amos Oh, Spaw, that's patently untrue. Those words have predominated your thoughts throughout your entire career on Mudcat. Well, except for "accurate". A |
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20 Feb 08 - 02:24 PM (#2267649) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Donuel The Scot phrase I am fond of is "Fucking Brilliant" |
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20 Feb 08 - 02:59 PM (#2267694) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: topical tom You have to be dead on and dead right to achieve dead reckoning. |
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20 Feb 08 - 03:07 PM (#2267705) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Little Hawk Being dead stupid is far less demanding. |
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20 Feb 08 - 08:48 PM (#2268097) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: McGrath of Harlow Deadgeridoo... |
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21 Feb 08 - 07:19 AM (#2268394) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Dead Horse I do wish you folks would stop taking my name in vane! |
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21 Feb 08 - 01:11 PM (#2268696) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: GUEST,Art Thieme Dead Alice Books. Good and not expensive at all!! Art!! |
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21 Feb 08 - 01:56 PM (#2268734) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: GUEST,chief chaos I've got to admit, I've always wondered about "dead sexy". |
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22 Feb 08 - 06:53 AM (#2269376) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Anne Lister I've got a sneaking fondness for the Londoner's predilection for "well" attached to anything ... such as "well hard" (as in tough, of a gang) or "well happy". It gets most interesting when you get someone's excuse - "Couldn't come to school because I was well ill". Anne |
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22 Feb 08 - 08:12 AM (#2269416) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: theleveller Well well! |
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23 Feb 08 - 06:36 AM (#2270206) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Anne Lister "Well fit" = "dead sexy" No wonder some people find it hard to understand English ... Anne |
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23 Feb 08 - 07:26 AM (#2270219) Subject: RE: BS: dead stupid....etc... From: Doug Chadwick No one's mentioned "dead good" so far. Oddly enough I can't see anyonee ever saying "dead bad". When I was a kid in Liverpool, I was just as likely to say "dead bad" as "dead good". DC |