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The meaning and origin of the expression: Veg out

Veg out

What's the meaning of the phrase 'Veg out'?

To 'veg out' is to relax in a slothful and mindless manner.

What's the origin of the phrase 'Veg out'?

Veg outThis phrase 'veg out' derives from the association of vegetables with mental incapacity; in the way that mentally disabled people are sometimes referred to as vegetables. 'Couch potato' comes from the same notion.

The term originated in the 1970s. Most of the early uses of it come from the USA, although the earliest that I know of is from Canada, in The Calgary Herald, November 1979:

...the teenager's favourite description of doing nothing. ("I'm just going to veg out today.")

Gary Martin - the author of the phrases.org.uk website.

By Gary Martin

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

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