Results 1 to 7 of 7
  1. #1
    snade17 is offline Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Interested in Language
      • Native Language:
      • Bulgarian
      • Home Country:
      • Bulgaria
      • Current Location:
      • Bulgaria
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Posts
    424

    Unhappy say in other words

    Could you paraphrase the following, please:

    1. "Payback's a bitch, buddy"
    2. "Nuts like a fox"

  2. #2
    emsr2d2 is offline VIP Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • English Teacher
      • Native Language:
      • British English
      • Home Country:
      • UK
      • Current Location:
      • UK
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Posts
    9,002
    Teacher

    Default Re: say in other words

    Quote Originally Posted by snade17 View Post
    Could you paraphrase the following, please:

    1. "Payback's a bitch, buddy"
    2. "Nuts like a fox"
    As usual, could we have context for them, especially the second?!

  3. #3
    billmcd is online now Key Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • English Teacher
      • Native Language:
      • English
      • Home Country:
      • United States
      • Current Location:
      • United States
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    2,282
    Teacher

    Default Re: say in other words

    Quote Originally Posted by snade17 View Post
    Could you paraphrase the following, please:

    1. "Payback's a bitch, buddy"
    2. "Nuts like a fox"
    1. It ususally refers to a statement by someone who lost or whose team lost in their first contest/game/match and in the return event was the winner. It means I/we paid you back for beating us the first time and now you will know how it feels to lose.

    2. Or "crazy(= nuts) like a fox" means he/she is very smart, as the fox has a reputation for being very clever. It is sometimes used in response when someone refers to a person as being not very smart by someone who disagrees.

  4. #4
    SoothingDave is offline Key Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Other
      • Native Language:
      • English
      • Home Country:
      • United States
      • Current Location:
      • United States
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Posts
    4,703

    Default Re: say in other words

    "Payback's a bitch" can also be used as a warning, that you may be riding high in victory now, but your time to lose will come.

  5. #5
    emsr2d2 is offline VIP Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • English Teacher
      • Native Language:
      • British English
      • Home Country:
      • UK
      • Current Location:
      • UK
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Posts
    9,002
    Teacher

    Default Re: say in other words

    Although it's not used frequently in BrE, I would have thought it would be possible for someone to say "Payback's a bitch" after they have been subjected to some kind of revenge attack.

    Example:

    A man has an affair and his wife finds out. She is very angry about the affair and decides to cut up all his clothes and pour pink paint all over his car while he's at work.

    He comes home from work and discovers what she has done. He calls a friend and says "Oh my god! She's cut up all my clothes and ruined my car as revenge for the fact that I slept with that other woman. Wow. Payback's a bitch!"

    In that example, "bitch" would mean "a terrible thing" so he's saying that the revenge that has been carried out on him is a terrible thing.
    Last edited by emsr2d2; 04-Sep-2011 at 17:09.

  6. #6
    snade17 is offline Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Interested in Language
      • Native Language:
      • Bulgarian
      • Home Country:
      • Bulgaria
      • Current Location:
      • Bulgaria
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Posts
    424
    Threadstarter / Original Poster

    Default Re: say in other words

    Thanks a lot! You were most helpful!

  7. #7
    snade17 is offline Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Interested in Language
      • Native Language:
      • Bulgarian
      • Home Country:
      • Bulgaria
      • Current Location:
      • Bulgaria
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Posts
    424
    Threadstarter / Original Poster

    Smile Re: say in other words

    Quote Originally Posted by billmcd View Post
    1. It ususally refers to a statement by someone who lost or whose team lost in their first contest/game/match and in the return event was the winner. It means I/we paid you back for beating us the first time and now you will know how it feels to lose.

    2. Or "crazy(= nuts) like a fox" means he/she is very smart, as the fox has a reputation for being very clever. It is sometimes used in response when someone refers to a person as being not very smart by someone who disagrees.
    Thank you very much!

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 1
    Last Post: 20-Jun-2009, 10:00
  2. Can these two words two words be made plural?
    By ThunderElk in forum Ask a Teacher
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 23-Feb-2006, 22:59
  3. Nonsense words and stuff like that - what words are potentially English?
    By Phonetics_victim in forum Pronunciation and Phonetics
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 08-Jul-2005, 09:45
  4. Replies: 1
    Last Post: 24-Jun-2005, 09:19
  5. Confusing Words or Confused Words
    By Piak in forum General Language Discussions
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 07-Jun-2003, 22:10

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0