Writing q - Taking the piss

TheEarl

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What's an Americanism for the English expression "Taking the piss", which means to make someone look foolish, or to be exceedingly sarcastic to expose the flaw in something.

The Earl
 
If you're taking the piss out of someone, then you're being insulting to them with the aid of excessive sarcasm. It also means friendly banter.

The Earl
 
Ok. You could "hoist him by his own petard" or you could "knock the wind out of his sails" or you could "make him look like an ass."
That's just off the top of my head.
I didn't know you're from the U.K. :D
 
"Teasing" (more for friendly banter) or "taunting" as a general term, or "you're (fucking) joking / you've got to be (fucking) joking" where one might hear "Ah, you're takin' the piss / tell me you're takin' the piss." Specifically doing it with malice and with sarcasm doesn't get as many specific words; "making fun of him" is usually what you'd say, but it tends to have something of a negative connotation - i.e., the person being sarcastic doesn't tend to come off as an especially pleasant person. You'd also often get those behaviors described with more specific direct terms - you'd say he was being sarcastic, or imitating him, or making fun of his voice, or whatever.

Other terms have more regional variations, so one would need to know where in the United States the speaker came from. For instance, where I lived in South Carolina, taunting or teasing someone mercilessly was sometimes called "bulldogging," a term one didn't hear everywhere there or much of anywhere else. There, one might also hear "he was just after him" to refer to a variety of ways of driving someone crazy verbally. Where I grew up in the north, you'd be more likely to describe that as "gettin' mouthy" with someone (if you were angry about it) or "being snotty" if you felt the sarcasm was intended to make the speaker look clever. Friendly teasing would get something more like "goofin' around" or "jokin' around."

Shanglan
 
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I don't think we have an expression for that- and NOT because we never do it, either.
"roasting" is one possiblity, or "flaying" someone- maybe?
I wonder if "taking the piss" is well enough known now- I know once I heard it, it filled a need I hadn't known existed!
 
Tom Collins said:
Ok. You could "hoist him by his own petard" or you could "knock the wind out of his sails" or you could "make him look like an ass."
That's just off the top of my head.
I didn't know you're from the U.K. :D

The "Location: England" gives it away slightly :D.

Make him look like an ass is very close to the meaning of it that I'm looking for. Thanks all.

The Earl
 
TheEarl said:
The "Location: England" gives it away slightly :D.

Make him look like an ass is very close to the meaning of it that I'm looking for. Thanks all.

The Earl
Yer welcome, yer Highness. *bowing deeply* :D
 
More used in sports, but "you got schooled" or "he took you to school with that one"

Also, "popped your balloon" would be a sardonic understatement :cool:
 
Around these parts, we tend to say that you're "giving someone shit" or "giving them a bunch of shit" :)
 
cloudy said:
"yanking their chain" is fairly common.


too funny... mom would say:
"he's yanking your chain and you're flushing."
she clacked me up.
 
Alas, the American educational system is geared to turning out students whose greatest accomplishment in remembering that "In 1493, Columbus sailed the deep blue sea." Or was it, "In 1494, Columbus sailed from the Western shore?" Anyhow, I was a defensive back, point guard and hurdler/long jumper and Coach saw that his main guys got "A" grades.
 
breaking his balls is kinda like taking the mick or taking the piss
at least in new jersey
:D
 
"He rained on your parade."

"He pissed in your Cornflakes."

"He called you out."

"He verbally bitch-slapped you."

"You got burned."


etc.

:)
 
I always thought the phrase "taking the piss" to mean teasing or taunting, depending on the situation.

~Edit~ Oops, Sorry Black Shanglan.
 
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TheEarl said:
What's an Americanism for the English expression "Taking the piss", which means to make someone look foolish, or to be exceedingly sarcastic to expose the flaw in something.

The Earl

"Taking him down a peg" is another americanism -- older and not much used today, but very similar to what you want if your character is over 40.

"Putting him in his place" is a bit older yet -- over-fifty types and/or high-society snob.

"Putting him on" or "Pulling his leg" are similar, but more in the vein of practical joking than sarcasm, but often used for similar purposes to make someone look rediculous and/or ignorant -- somtimes mean spirited but not always.
 
sincerely_helene said:
I always thought the phrase "taking the piss" to mean teasing or taunting, depending on the situation.

~Edit~ Oops, Sorry Black Shanglan.

Depends on the context. In this one I wanted to saying "ripping the piss", which is a derivation that means specifically 'making someone look a complete and utter fool'. However, "taking the piss" can also mean teasing, taunting, excessive use of sarcasm, or just gentle banter. Versatile expression.

The Earl
 
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