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what does

Posted by Frankie on February 03, 2000

In Reply to: what does posted by Josh Perlman on February 03, 2000

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: : : : : : What does it mean when someone says "rob the cratle"? Someone said that to me and I don't know what it means.

: : : : : If you mean "Rob the cradle," then it means to date or marry someone much younger than you are.

: : : : I've also heard this expression to mean dating someone under age (as in legally under age or to put it in another phrase--"Jailbait"). And, I've heard it imply that by robbing the cradle you are robbing the innocence--- because, a sense of their youth is lost and a maturity gap narrows to compensate for the age difference. I think depending on the spoken situation the meaning can "slightly" vary. But, I like the first explanation better than my own.

: : : No, I don't think it is intended to mean dating someone legally underage. This expression is used on TV, for example, often when someone is dating a collage student when they are 30 or so. The term basically means a large gap in ages. It could even mean a 70 year old man dating a 40 year old woman. 40 isn't young, but it's all relative.

: : : I stand corrected. Who can argue with a "Collage" student who considers 40 old.
: : My apologies.

: No, I never said that 40 was old, I said 40 wasn't young. A 40 year old man, dating a college student would be old, and the phrase would apply the situation. Also, you sarcastically said you couldn't argue with me, implying that you were. However, you never responded to my basic point, which is that the term "Rob the Cradle" means a large age gap, not illegal acts.

: I didn't respond to your point because without a supportive origin of the phrase, both of our definitions are just that "our definitions" or our opinions. How I have heard the use of this phrase warranted my definition as did yours.
And, whenever someone starts a sentence with "No"
I mistakenly assume a negative and condescending undertone. Sorry again.

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