Shocking!

[erdnase]

"That's shocking!"

Does anyone else cringe when hearing this phrase to describe trivial things? It seems to be used all the time now, from describing the Post Office closing at 1pm on a Wednesday to only getting 15Mb on a 20Mb Virgin Broadband line (just two examples I've heard lately).

Do things like that really put you in a state of shock? Do they mentally stun you and leave you unable to think? To me, shock is something you get after being in a serious car crash or coming back from front line military service. It's all over the tabloids too, and a quick search for "shocker" in Google News returns Marks & Spencers in Salad Salt Shocker amongst other shocking drivel about Katie Price, etc.

Anyway, that's what's been grinding my gears lately and I feel better for getting it off my chest. As you were, gentlemen

[obob]

erdnase said:

grinding my gears

I hate this phrase. HTH

[5potTurbo]

erdnase said:

I feel better for getting it off my chest. As you were, gentlemen

What was it doing on your chest?

[C8PPO]

"Disgusting" is probably more abused than shocking. People always repond with "It's disgusting" when, for example, bus fares have gone up 2p.

That's irritating. Annoying even. Possibly even bothersome. But it hasn't "disgusted" you. You're not repulsed, nauseated, or had your stomach turned over, by this news or incident. Finding 5h1t smeared over your door handle, that might disgust you. But get a sense of perspective.

[GreenDog]

obob said:

erdnase said:

grinding my gears

I hate this phrase. HTH

HTH

I hate this phrase

[Scott330ci]

GreenDog said:

obob said:

erdnase said:

grinding my gears

I hate this phrase. HTH

HTH

I hate this phrase

I hate this smiley

[NiceCupOfTea]

"epic"
"biblical"

Thanks Clarkson!

[Neil H]

erdnase said:

As you were

Not quite as annoying as this extremely overused phrase.

[Neil H]

C8PPO said:

Finding 5h1t smeared over your door handle, that might disgust you.

Is that a new strain of swine flu?

[dibbly dobbler]

erdnase said:

Does anyone else cringe when hearing this phrase

Do you literally cringe when you hear the phrase or is that just another regretable but amusingly ironic example of hyperbole?

[150bhp]

dibbly dobbler said:

erdnase said:

Does anyone else cringe when hearing this phrase

Do you literally cringe when you hear the phrase or is that just another regretable but amusingly ironic example of hyperbole?

[becksW]

The most overrated/ incorrectly used word has to be awesome, tends to be Americans that use it, usually for things that are most definitely not awesome!

[Cas_P]

I never say it in a serious manner. However, I often say it in a joking/sarcastic fashion.

[10 Pence Short]

This thread is shocking.
Or just fking ste.
I suppose it depends what mood you're in.

[phil-sti]

you put "shocker" in google and thats all that came up? i got this as first option.

[robsco]

dibbly dobbler said:

erdnase said:

Does anyone else cringe when hearing this phrase

Do you literally cringe when you hear the phrase or is that just another regretable but amusingly ironic example of hyperbole?

If I was the OP, I'd be lost for words now!

[erdnase]

I'm literally shocked, lost for words and cringing here!

[Ben Hughes]

The most annoying one for me is 'literally'.

"And when I got home, my parents literally went mental'.

Did they? Did they really go mental?

Did they stand at the top of the stairs, put their tongue in their lower lip, make a retard noise, and jump head first onto the landing?

No, I thought not. So they didn't 'literally go mental'. Spacker.

[robsco]

Don't forget basically. It always seems to be people who use the word "basically" who take 30 fking minutes to explain something which could've taken a matter of seconds.