Etymology/Origin behind using "bitching" in a positive sense
It's not impossible that the use of bitchin' in 1950s surfer lingo directly recalls the early 1930s usage of bitchey in a similarly upbeat sense. But it may be even more likely that the adjective bitching (or its …
What's the meaning of "bitching"? - English Language & Usage Stack …
Apr 23, 2012 · What's the meaning of "bitching" in the following sentence taken from references in 'tfd.com'? December: I quit bitching with grateful thanks for all the good times, things and friends God …
offensive language - How strong/vulgar is using "to bitch" in the ...
Further complicating usage is that in some subcultures, "bitchin" is used as an adjective that I understand has favorable characteristics. That said, I generally refrain from using the word, because …
meaning - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange
In the latest interview of Charlie Sheen in the NBC’s ‘The Good Morning America,’ Sheen said that he was tired of pretending he’s not a total bitchin rock star from Mars. Although I guess he is s...
What is the etymology of "dope" meaning excellent, great ... - slang
Jan 5, 2016 · As Josh suggests, it's common for slang words to flip-flop from one extreme of meaning to the other. Hot/cool, "bitchin'", mean, bad, and no doubt many,many others that I don't know because …
What is the origin of the phrase "Gag me with a spoon"?
May 27, 2014 · The phrase "gag me with a spoon" originates from Valley girl speak, which is in turn an obnoxious form of Californian english. From the wiki article: Valley Girl (or Val, Val Gal) is a …
A salad or just salad - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange
Jan 29, 2026 · I am wondering if I could say: I would like to have a salad. In a restaurant I heard a girl say to the waiter, ordering a side dish from the menu for herself: I would like salad. My understandi...
pronunciation - How are "i.e." and "e.g." pronounced? - English ...
Aug 12, 2010 · How are i.e. and e.g. pronounced? When I was in college, one of my philosophy professors instructed us to use translated English for abbreviated or initialized latinisms when …
etymology - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange
Jul 11, 2018 · Fire as a slang adjective appears to be the bleeding-edge version of "cool." To some extent, the word appears to be interchangeable with dope. One thing that seems odd to me is that it …
what are the origins of hi, hey, hello? - English Language & Usage ...
Aug 3, 2014 · 'Hey' ( perhaps originally a natural expression) appears to be at the origin of 'hi', while 'hello' seems to have no connection with the previous two terms and a different origin (mainly as a …