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Old 28-Aug-2008, 15:25
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Lightbulb shove it (literal meaning)

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shove1
3. Slang: Often Vulgar. to go to hell with: Voters are telling Congress to shove its new tax plan.

—Idioms7. shove or stick it, Slang (often vulgar). (used to express contempt or belligerence): I told them to take the job and shove it.
8. shove or stick it up your or one's ass, Slang (vulgar). go to hell: a term of contempt, abuse, disagreement, or the like.
shove it up ones ass - Definitions from Dictionary.com

Hello! Could someone please explain what 'shove' refers to in literal meaning? Why are 'shove' and idioms related to it vulgar?

Thanks!
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Old 28-Aug-2008, 16:39
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Default Re: shove it (literal meaning)

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Originally Posted by thedaffodils View Post
shove it up ones ass - Definitions from Dictionary.com

Hello! Could someone please explain what 'shove' refers to in literal meaning? Why are 'shove' and idioms related to it vulgar?

Thanks!
Hi daffodils.
"Shove" means "push forcefully".

Mirriam Webster: Shove
transitive verb1: to push along2: to push or put in a rough, careless, or hasty manner : thrust3: to force by other than physical means : compel <shove a bill through the legislature>intransitive verb1: to move by forcing a way <bargain hunters shoving up to the counter>

Why, what does your dictionary say?
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Old 28-Aug-2008, 17:02
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Default Re: shove it (literal meaning)

Quote:
Originally Posted by thedaffodils View Post
shove it up ones ass - Definitions from Dictionary.com

Hello! Could someone please explain what 'shove' refers to in literal meaning? Why are 'shove' and idioms related to it vulgar?

Thanks!
They're not - in some cases. But in contexts where no destination is specified the intention behind 'shove it' is the one you've found in that link. An apparently euphemistic version (which avoids saying "a$$") in fact has an even more vulgar effect: 'Shove it where the Sun don't shine'.

b
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Old 28-Aug-2008, 17:07
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Smile Re: shove it (literal meaning)

Hi Raymott,

Thanks for your answer.

I heard and learned 'shove it' from Bart Simpon. Mrs. Simpson was tempting her babe--Maggie to speak first word, eg. baba, mama, while Bart was trying to teach his sister bad words, eg. 'get bent', 'shove it'.

I have offered the URL link about it in my first post in this thread. I assume the dictionary editor must be a bug of The Simpsons, while the editor of Mirriam Webster not.
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Old 28-Aug-2008, 17:18
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Smile Re: shove it (literal meaning)

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Originally Posted by BobK View Post
They're not - in some cases. But in contexts where no destination is specified the intention behind 'shove it' is the one you've found in that link. An apparently euphemistic version (which avoids saying "a$$") in fact has an even more vulgar effect: 'Shove it where the Sun don't shine'.

b
Hi BobK,

Thank you very much for your help. I've understood.
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Old 28-Aug-2008, 20:08
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Default Re: shove it (literal meaning)

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Originally Posted by thedaffodils View Post
I have offered the URL link about it in my first post in this thread. I assume the dictionary editor must be a bug of The Simpsons, while the editor of Mirriam Webster not.
Yes, so you have. I was wondering why you were asking for a literal definition of a word when you are obviously clever enough to look it up.
"Shove" is probably used in these idioms instead of "push" because "shove" is more forceful, which is what you want in a vulgar idiom.
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Old 29-Aug-2008, 05:16
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Smile Re: shove it (literal meaning)

Hi Raymott,

Thank you for your response.

I'm sorry I failed to make myself clear.

For instance, the word of 'crappy' is vulgar to some people. 'crappy' is related to excretion and comparable to sh*t.

But Cambridge Dictionaries Online doesn't explain that but simply said it is unpleasant, offensive.

Quote:
crappy
adjective OFFENSIVE
unpleasant or of very bad quality:

He's had a series of crappy jobs.
Cambridge Dictionaries Online - Cambridge University Press

I hope teachers or forumites could tell me 'crappy' is related to excretion and comparable to sh*t, this is what I referred to literal meaning, so that I could really understand why it is bad and offensive.

In such a case, how should I make myself clear in English if I don't use 'literal meaning'?

Could you please suggest? Thanks in advance.

PS: I've understood the meaning of 'crappy'.
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Old 29-Aug-2008, 07:03
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Default Re: shove it (literal meaning)

Quote:
Originally Posted by thedaffodils View Post
Hi Raymott,

Thank you for your response.

I'm sorry I failed to make myself clear.

For instance, the word of 'crappy' is vulgar to some people. 'crappy' is related to excretion and comparable to sh*t.

But Cambridge Dictionaries Online doesn't explain that but simply said it is unpleasant, offensive.


Cambridge Dictionaries Online - Cambridge University Press

I hope teachers or forumites could tell me 'crappy' is related to excretion and comparable to sh*t, this is what I referred to literal meaning, so that I could really understand why it is bad and offensive.

In such a case, how should I make myself clear in English if I don't use 'literal meaning'?

Could you please suggest? Thanks in advance.

PS: I've understood the meaning of 'crappy'.
Yes, I can see that's a problem. I guess you should always look up the base word too, if you know it, which in this case is "crap", and Cambridge
is more forthcoming.
That doesn't help with "shove" of course. How about "Are there any other literal meanings of "shove" that I should know about, apart from what's in Cambridge? - like vulgar ones?"
  #9  
Old 29-Aug-2008, 07:13
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Smile Re: shove it (literal meaning)

Much obliged, Raymott.

Have a good day.
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