Earlier this week, Merriam-Webster - the dictionary people - announced the addition of 850 new words and phrases to its online dictionary. One of them has been described as "A Phrase for Our Time."
The phrase is not something heroic like "this was their finest hour" or stirring like "ask not what your country can do for you." The phrase is "dumpster fire," defined as “An utterly calamitous or mismanaged situation or occurrence.”
It's not a new phrase, having been first defined in the Urban Dictionary in 2008 as "1. A complete disaster; 2. Something very difficult that nobody wants to deal with."
By that definition, there are plenty of dumpster fires blazing away today: mass murders, immigration reform, health care, ludicrous conspiracy theories, Russian interference in our politics and society, and utterly inept government, just to name a few.
But I guess if you add all those big dumpster fires together, the Merriam Webster definition is better ... what do we have in this country today other than an utterly calamitous or mismanaged situation.
If you voted for it, thanks for nothing.
Have a good day. Avoid dumpster fires when you can. More thoughts tomorrow, when Great Moments in Editing and Signage returns.
Bilbo
5 comments:
And I thought dumpster fire was the name of #45's hairstyle...
The phrase is disctinctivelyuseful with the Trump presidency.
So when is trumpster fire going to be included?
WHITE HOUSE
Indeed a phrase for our time.
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