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'''''Shit''''' is a [[vernacular]] word of [[English language|English]] that means "[[feces]]". It is also used as a verb to refer to the act of [[defecating]], and as an adjective to mean "of or pertaining to feces" or more generally "bad" or "low quality". Care should be taken not to confuse "shite", a variant of the word, with [[Shiite]]. |
'''''Shit''''' is a [[vernacular]] word of [[English language|English]] that means "[[feces]]". It is also used as a verb to refer to the act of [[defecating]], and as an adjective to mean "of or pertaining to feces" or more generally "bad" or "low quality". Care should be taken not to confuse "shite", a variant of the word, with [[Shiite]]. |
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Lägg allt i en riktigt stor gryta! sen tillsätter ni 2 matskedar salt och några nypor socker.. lite morötter e man ju inte bang på heller! sen daskar ner dasen och har den där i ca 6 minuter! ta ut dasen hacka av den och servera allt jävligt varmt! |
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==Usage== |
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The word ''shit'' is considered vulgar, and thus is usually avoided, for instance, in teaching, religion, political speeches, and most news reporting. Many people consider this reckless, offensive, and bad. However, its use by ordinary people is widespread. Most commonly, it is used not to refer to feces, but rather in a variety of [[metaphor|metaphoric]] meanings. Of these, perhaps the most common is an epithet of dismay (as in "Oh shit!"). ''Shit'' is also used as a rather harsh way of designating something as being of inferior quality (as in "That disk drive is shit" or "This disk drive is rather shitty"), and it can also be used to indicate that something previously said is contemptibly false or insincere (as in "Don't give me that shit"); in the latter use the word ''[[bullshit]]'' is sometimes used as a more precise substitute. |
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Although the most common uses of ''shit'' are metaphorical, the unpleasant literal meaning of the word is seldom entirely absent, and thus most uses of ''shit'' have some degree of [[pejorative|pejoration]]. This is not always the case, however—in the sentence "I bought a bunch of shit at the market today", the word ''shit'' doesn't connote displeasure as much as an overwhelming quantity. Perhaps the only constant connotation that ''shit'' carries is that the subject matter to which it is applied has some degree of emotional intensity for the speaker. Whether offense is taken at hearing the word varies greatly from listener to listener, and is perhaps related to social class: people of higher socioeconomic strata may be more sensitive to the taboo character of the word than those of lower strata. |
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However, in colloquial speech, calling something "''the'' shit" is actually a compliment. For instance, the sentence "Dave's new car is the shit," suggests the speaker thinks that Dave's new car is very good, or at least very cool. The meaning here is somewhat similar to the traditional vernacular usage of the word "bad". |
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The term "a shit" is sometimes applied to a contemptible person, or one who has behaved badly or immorally. For example, the phrase "That little shit ate my popcorn," would insinuate that someone had eaten the speaker's popcorn without his permission. |
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As an adjective, to be ''shitty'' is to be of low quality: ''This is a shitty train.'' Of a person's condition, it can mean to feel ill: ''John felt shitty today, so he didn't come to work.'' Of an action it can mean to be contemptible or immoral: ''That was a shitty thing to do to her.'' |
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The verb ''to shit'' usually refers to the literal act of defecation. It can also mean to treat badly or to humiliate: ''I got shat on for being late,'' ''I shit my pants.'' The past tense of ''to shit'' is attested as ''shat'', ''shit'', or ''shitted'', depending on dialect and the rhythm of the sentence. |
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As a prefix, ''shit'' (like ''fucking'') can simply be an emphasis: ''I was shit-scared of almost everything or I shit my pants!'' |
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==Etymology== |
==Etymology== |
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Revision as of 14:27, 4 November 2004
Shit is a vernacular word of English that means "feces". It is also used as a verb to refer to the act of defecating, and as an adjective to mean "of or pertaining to feces" or more generally "bad" or "low quality". Care should be taken not to confuse "shite", a variant of the word, with Shiite.
Lägg allt i en riktigt stor gryta! sen tillsätter ni 2 matskedar salt och några nypor socker.. lite morötter e man ju inte bang på heller! sen daskar ner dasen och har den där i ca 6 minuter! ta ut dasen hacka av den och servera allt jävligt varmt!
Etymology
The word has existed in English for many centuries, for instance in its Old English form scite. Indeed, scholars can trace the word back through related Germanic languages (e.g., Old Norse skīta), and it is virtually certain that it was used in some form by preliterate Germanic tribes at the time of the Roman Empire. It has cognates in many other Indo-European languages, including Greek, where the cognate root skor, skato- has been borrowed into English and forms the basis of scatology and a host of related technical terms.
The variant form shite (rhymes with "white") is found in certain regional and social dialects, especially in Scotland and Ireland, and is sometimes used in other parts of the world as a less-offensive (at least in intent) form of the word "shit".
Occasionally, individuals enjoy making up pretend etymologies for shit as a joke. See Fake etymology.