If a guy calls another guy a sod, does it mean he thinks the other is an idiot, or can it be a sexual come-on?
sod
I'm American, so I'd defer to the judgment of our British members, but I don't think there's any sexual connotation in calling someone a sod.
"Sod" is mainly used to lightly insult someone in a humourous way.
"You daft sod" is the same as saying "You silly bugger". There isn't anything malicious about it.
It doesnt have any sexual connotations either.
"You daft sod" is the same as saying "You silly bugger". There isn't anything malicious about it.
It doesnt have any sexual connotations either.
Sod...it's more "polite" meaning is a clump of soil still with it's grass covering on the surface...a sod of earth...a freshly laid lawn usually consists of these "sods".
It can also mean, in a poetic like way, the ground we stand on generally....as in "a longing for the sod of Scotland again beneath my feet....". It's true that this sense of the word originated from "sodomite" so at one time it did have a strong sexual undertones, but that's not generally the case any more. Any person who gets on your tit in any which way, or who is seen as quite a scheming and despicable scroat can be called a sod.
So in British English it's mainly a pejorative word, directed at someone considered obnoxious in whatever way, but it can can often be used in a jocular, even amicable, way.....as in "you silly/daft sod! What made you do that?"
Its adjectival form "sodding" is fairly widely used to describe anything that is an unpleasant or inconvenient nuisance - as in "I'm pissed off with this sodding weather" - so as you can imagine it is used quite a lot here in that way!
It can also mean, in a poetic like way, the ground we stand on generally....as in "a longing for the sod of Scotland again beneath my feet....". It's true that this sense of the word originated from "sodomite" so at one time it did have a strong sexual undertones, but that's not generally the case any more. Any person who gets on your tit in any which way, or who is seen as quite a scheming and despicable scroat can be called a sod.
So in British English it's mainly a pejorative word, directed at someone considered obnoxious in whatever way, but it can can often be used in a jocular, even amicable, way.....as in "you silly/daft sod! What made you do that?"
Its adjectival form "sodding" is fairly widely used to describe anything that is an unpleasant or inconvenient nuisance - as in "I'm pissed off with this sodding weather" - so as you can imagine it is used quite a lot here in that way!
Sodom and Gomorrah
<<It's true that this sense of the word originated from "sodomite" so at one time it did have a strong sexual undertones, but that's not generally the case any more.>>
The real meaning of words is often lost, but is there in the background if anyone looks. As you can imagine, these words are often used by children who do not appreciate the significance of what they say.
'twat' is another word that comes to mind.
<<It's true that this sense of the word originated from "sodomite" so at one time it did have a strong sexual undertones, but that's not generally the case any more.>>
The real meaning of words is often lost, but is there in the background if anyone looks. As you can imagine, these words are often used by children who do not appreciate the significance of what they say.
'twat' is another word that comes to mind.
Most people in London say "oh you silly sausage" instead of "you sod" or "you d*ck".
I never heard anyone say that "sausage" thing any time I was in London - it must be confined to certain types of people - just a wee bit more on the restrained and polite perhaps? ;-) Maybe I mix with the more explicit types - and working in a high pressure, fast moving office as do when I am working down in London the overall language tends to be a lot less mild, to say the least.
I did know a fairly elderly lady who used to call her wee dog "sausage" (it wasn't it's name though) - but it was a dachshund, popularly called a "sausage dog" anyway.
I did know a fairly elderly lady who used to call her wee dog "sausage" (it wasn't it's name though) - but it was a dachshund, popularly called a "sausage dog" anyway.
Sod is just a piece of turf int he US and is never applied to people, as an insult or otherwise. Twat, however -- always with the A in father, never the A in cat -- always refers to female genitalia and therefore is always a pretty vulgar insult here! It hasn't been bleached at all.
Uriel don't you use TWAT rhyming with cAt on that (US) side of the pond?
Interesting about the 'twat' pronunciation there.
In my home town (Bath UK) 'sod' is pretty common. It's quite soft, you won't really offend anyone by using it - twat is also common. For a 'silly person' it's not so bad, but some usage can sound very rude indeed so I'd avoid it.
Some examples:
'Sod off' = "Go away" - several uses, including "Hey! Take out the bin before you sod off out."
'Sod it/that' = "I give up/can't be bothered/don't want to" also after something goes wrong
'...sodding...' = "I've had enough of this sodding rain!"
'(It's) Sod's Law' = what you say when something has gone wrong/will go wrong, i.e. if something can go wrong, it often does!
Apart from the first one, these are pretty soft and inoffensive.
There are more uses of course...
In my home town (Bath UK) 'sod' is pretty common. It's quite soft, you won't really offend anyone by using it - twat is also common. For a 'silly person' it's not so bad, but some usage can sound very rude indeed so I'd avoid it.
Some examples:
'Sod off' = "Go away" - several uses, including "Hey! Take out the bin before you sod off out."
'Sod it/that' = "I give up/can't be bothered/don't want to" also after something goes wrong
'...sodding...' = "I've had enough of this sodding rain!"
'(It's) Sod's Law' = what you say when something has gone wrong/will go wrong, i.e. if something can go wrong, it often does!
Apart from the first one, these are pretty soft and inoffensive.
There are more uses of course...