Search
Balls and chops
Posted by Word Camel on November 05, 2003
In Reply to: Idiomatic expressions posted by ESC on November 04, 2003
: : : : : 1. Do you keep the dog in the kitchen or does
: : : : : he have the run of the house? Is he restricted to
: : : : : one area or can he go everywhere? Merriam
: : : : : Webster online: RUN 2 a : to go without
: : : : : restraint : move freely about at will. Let chickens
: : : : : run loose.
: : : !!!
: : : Thanks a lot - I've completely missed that out.
: : : so, "we're to give him the run of the farm"="we're to allow him to move freely at our facility"
: : : : : 2 : a house or apartment open for inspection
: : : : : especially by prospective buyers or tenants
: : : Yep.
: : : And the next one - Anderton has a conversation with a drug dealer in order to acquire some stuff:
: : : "- Don't bust my balls. You've only given me four, and some of these are duds."
: : : "Don't bust my balls"="don't spoil my pleasure"?
: : Balls refers to testicles. But you probably knew that. It's not about pleasure -- it's more about status. I would say that busting someone's balls is to humiliate the person, take away his or her power or standing. Emasculate him (or her). Anyone have a better explanation?
: And sometimes doesn't it mean hassle someone, give him or her a hard time, the "run around"?
I think busting someone's chops is the same idea. Maybe chops is a polite way of saying it.
- Balls and chops Smokey Stover 06/November/03
