Get one`s rocks off

Posted by Lewis on August 02, 2007

In Reply to: Get one`s rocks off posted by David FG on July 31, 2007

: : : : : "Get one`s rocks off". In the Urban dictionary I have found the meaning "to have an orgasm", but I suppose there is another meaning. Can anyone explain?

: : : : That's the only meaning/usage I've ever heard.

: : : Me too. Why did you think there was another meaning?

: : : DFG

: : I have heard the phrase used here in the NY area of the US of A to mean "obtaining pleasure" in a non-sexual way as in "He gets his rocks off by insulting people and watching them squirm".

: : The OP may not be a speaker of native English and just wanted us to help him understand the many phrases and idioms a complicated language such as English presents itself; so maybe that is why he thought there was another meaning.

: Indeed, and I intended absolutely no criticism in my reply. I simply wondered if the OP had heard another meaning of which I was unaware.

: I think your example works as an extension of the sexual meaning, for example.

: DFG

getting one's rocks off is just as DFG says using the analogy of sexual satisfaction for general pleasure. it's like "whatever floats your boat" - one metaphor for pleasure being substituted for another. in a way, it is inverted as usually non-sexual metaphors are substituted for sex (e.g. "puts lead in your pencil" or "cut the mustard") - with 'rocks off' it is the other way round - using an explicit sexual metaphor for general pleasure or interest.