as Swampy as it gets

Status
Not open for further replies.

GoodTaste

Key Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2016
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
China
Current Location
China
Does "as Swampy as it gets" mean "very difficult to deal with"?

================
Jul 30, 2020 · That’s about as swampy as it gets. She knows how to work the edges because she was chief of staff to former Rep. Marty Meehan, who was the lead Democratic sponsor of the McCain-Feingold Act in the House.
 
No. She's referring to the expression "drain the swamp", which means "eliminate widespread corruption" which the outgoing US president used repeatedly during his first campaign. The speaker is describing something that was discussed in previous text as an example of flagrant corruption.
 
Does "as Swampy as it gets" mean "very difficult to deal with"?

There's no reason to capitalize 'swampy' in your question. Note that it's not capitalized in the quoted text, either.
 
Then I understand "swampy" as "of, or relating to, widespread corruption."

Am I on the right track?
 
Then I understand "swampy" as "of, or relating to, widespread corruption."

Am I on the right track?

In this case, yes, and only to people who are familiar with the use of "drain the swamp". I wasn't.

To me, "swampy" just means "like a swamp" and "Swampy" (with a capital "S) was the name of a man who staged a sit-in in a tree in the 1980s to try to prevent trees being cut down to build a major road in the UK. You can read about him here, if you're interested.
 
It depends on context. Ordinarily I would see "swampy" as meaning "like a swamp".
 
Then I understand "swampy" as "of, or relating to, widespread corruption."

Am I on the right track?
Yes, but note that the speaker coined the usage. It works in its context but wouldn't be understood elsewhere.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Ask a Teacher

If you have a question about the English language and would like to ask one of our many English teachers and language experts, please click the button below to let us know:

(Requires Registration)
Back
Top