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odd ball question--insulting someone using the word "tool"


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The use of that word was rampant on a hockey board I was part of a few years back ... I had no idea what they meant and I asked one of the only other girls there for an explanation, and her reply (FWIW!) was that a tool is someone who uses other people or situations to make themselves look like a big deal. (?)

Edited by Highereducation
Can't type today!
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What does that mean exactly? Brainless, brown noser, sheep...?:confused:

 

First of all, :lol: your original question makes me lol!

 

Secondly {taking a deep breath here and channeling my high school days}, I remember that term being used to refer to a particular part of the male anatomy, and also sometimes being used as a derogatory term to refer to someone as being the same thing. Clear as mud? Would be the same as...um...d*ck. {cringing and running away now...} :leaving:

Edited by Julie in CA
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From Urban Dictionary:

 

Tool~ A person, typically male, who says or does things that cause you to give them a 'what-are-you-even-doing-here' look. The 'what-are-you-even-doing-here' look is classified by a glare in the tool's direction and is usually accompanied by muttering of how big of a tool they are. The tool is usually someone who is unwelcome but no one has the b@lls to tell them to get lost. The tool is always making comments that are out-of-place, out-of-line or just plain stupid. The tool is always trying too hard to fit in, and because of this, never will. However, the tool is useful because you can use them for things; money, rides, ect.

 

"Let's drive to Chicago from Iowa. Oh man, we need money. Hey, let's ask tool to come, he'll spot us the cash!"

 

"Tool is our friend. We call him that because he is one."

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Around here, it basically means "you are so lame" but it's much less polite. You might tell an older person they're lame, but you wouldn't call them a tool. It's closer to the British wanker than the American a**h*le.

 

It doesn't really have any connotation of being someone's fool or puppet in my neck of the woods. The person who stands someone up for a date is a tool, not the person who gets stood up.

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Well I have always understoond it to mean someone who has the cojones to do or ask for something that is not within the bounds of socially acceptable behavior. An example would be if your friends was always lecturing you on the importance of saving your money and investing it wisely and then borrowed $1000 dollars from you to fund a trip to Vegas. In this instance you would call your friend quite the tool. Another term that we use around here to mean pretty much the same thing is to tell someone that they have big brass ones. It is basically a term referring to parts of the male anatomy used in a derogetory manner.

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First of all, :lol: your original question makes me lol!

 

Secondly {taking a deep breath here and channeling my high school days}, I remember that term being used to refer to a particular part of the male anatomy, and also sometimes being used as a derogatory term to refer to someone as being the same thing. Clear as mud? Would be the same as...um...d*ck. {cringing and running away now...} :leaving:

 

This is my understanding as well. remember the band, Tool? And their symbol? (Running away with you now!)

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Around here, it basically means "you are so lame" but it's much less polite. You might tell an older person they're lame, but you wouldn't call them a tool. It's closer to the British wanker than the American a**h*le.

 

It doesn't really have any connotation of being someone's fool or puppet in my neck of the woods. The person who stands someone up for a date is a tool, not the person who gets stood up.

 

 

This conversation is cracking me up. I love this board.

 

I've always thought of it as a more severe form of Idiot. I think wanker would be more fun to say.

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Secondly {taking a deep breath here and channeling my high school days}, I remember that term being used to refer to a particular part of the male anatomy, and also sometimes being used as a derogatory term to refer to someone as being the same thing. Clear as mud? Would be the same as...um...d*ck. {cringing and running away now...} :leaving:

Yup...to me it has always meant the above. Perhaps it is regional? I grew up on the West Coast, primarily in the Pacific NW.

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First of all, :lol: your original question makes me lol!

 

Secondly {taking a deep breath here and channeling my high school days}, I remember that term being used to refer to a particular part of the male anatomy, and also sometimes being used as a derogatory term to refer to someone as being the same thing. Clear as mud? Would be the same as...um...d*ck. {cringing and running away now...} :leaving:

 

This was my understanding too. And I've heard it used in many contexts--e.g., actively being a jerk, being an idiot, just generally being annoying, etc.

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What does that mean exactly? Brainless, brown noser, sheep...?:confused:

 

...to mean a special kind of jerk, but specifically...a synonym for a part of the male anatomy.

 

ETA: This brings to mind the recent discussion of The Analects of Confucius here at my house, and our delight over discovering this bit of wisdom from the Chinese sage...

 

"A gentleman is not a tool."

 

LOL...whole new context in the 21st century, huh? ;-) (I wanted to make a t-shirt, and dh vetoed the idea.)

Edited by Jill, OK
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First of all, :lol: your original question makes me lol!

 

Secondly {taking a deep breath here and channeling my high school days}, I remember that term being used to refer to a particular part of the male anatomy, and also sometimes being used as a derogatory term to refer to someone as being the same thing. Clear as mud? Would be the same as...um...d*ck. {cringing and running away now...} :leaving:

 

 

That is how I have heard it used here in the midwest - 'burbs of Chicago.

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First of all, :lol: your original question makes me lol!

 

Secondly {taking a deep breath here and channeling my high school days}, I remember that term being used to refer to a particular part of the male anatomy, and also sometimes being used as a derogatory term to refer to someone as being the same thing. Clear as mud? Would be the same as...um...d*ck. {cringing and running away now...} :leaving:

That's what i thought it was too.

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First of all, :lol: your original question makes me lol!

 

Secondly {taking a deep breath here and channeling my high school days}, I remember that term being used to refer to a particular part of the male anatomy, and also sometimes being used as a derogatory term to refer to someone as being the same thing. Clear as mud? Would be the same as...um...d*ck. {cringing and running away now...} :leaving:

 

Yep, that's my understanding as well. It's much more graphic than simply calling someone a jerk.

 

Erica

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First of all, :lol: your original question makes me lol!

 

Secondly {taking a deep breath here and channeling my high school days}, I remember that term being used to refer to a particular part of the male anatomy, and also sometimes being used as a derogatory term to refer to someone as being the same thing. Clear as mud? Would be the same as...um...d*ck. {cringing and running away now...} :leaving:

 

Oops. I have a teenaged dd who uses that word especially in reference to her older sister's boyfriend. I had no idea. Time to have a chat.

 

Janet

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Is it wrong that I giggle insanely every time this thread pops back up in my User CP? The "tool" insult has always cracked me up completely--maybe a throwback to the Wayne's World days? Anyway, I've been tittering ridiculously through this whole thread :w00t:

 

Oops. I have a teenaged dd who uses that word especially in reference to her older sister's boyfriend. I had no idea. Time to have a chat.

 

Janet

 

Well, maybe he IS a tool. How does he treat your DD? :lol: (I'm kidding, of course. That's just such a little sister thing to do!)

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First of all, :lol: your original question makes me lol!

 

Secondly {taking a deep breath here and channeling my high school days}, I remember that term being used to refer to a particular part of the male anatomy, and also sometimes being used as a derogatory term to refer to someone as being the same thing. Clear as mud? Would be the same as...um...d*ck. {cringing and running away now...} :leaving:

 

That's EXACTLY how it is used in this neck of the woods (I know, I taught hih school for 12 years and heard it in the hallways often).

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