Ten items or less

What supermarkets display when they actually mean 'Ten items or fewer'. Indeed 'ten items or less' is gramatical nonsense, has no real meaning and therefore qualifies as slang. That is 'or less' than what?

There are a significant number of shoppers who, when challenged about their (say) eleven items, carefully explain that the sign is gramatically meaningless and therefore not understood /does not conform to the English language.

Usually this is lost on checkout staff /clerks and often not understood by store management either. Indeed it is probably lost on the store-chain management as a whole who probably authorised the nonsensical signs in the first instance.

Higher-end supermarkets have been noted as correctly using the term 'ten items or fewer'.

That an item is not necessarily a singular object is another related issue.

Clerk "You shouldn't use this aisle as you have eleven items in your basket and the sign says ten items or less"

Customer "I'm sorry but your sign does not make any sense. As 'or less' is grammatical nonsense I couldn't understand it"

Clerk "Eh?"

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Words of one syllable or less

Phrase used when advising somebody of facts /an issue /and explanation (etc) using the most simplest of words in order that they may understand.

Often associated with 'full and frank conversation' the phrase 'words of one syllable or less' is actually gramatically incorrect in its use of 'or less' (essentially 'or less' makes no sense whereas 'or fewer' would be correct) but nicely conveys the situation.

Believed to have originated with the staff of Britain's railways in Southern England.

"What do you mean Bert has done it wrong again?

I'd better go and explain how to do it in words of one syllable or less"

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dummy

UK railway slang for either a shunting signal or a subsidary signal.

Term is frowned upon within modern safety critical communications. Example being - shunter to driver "the signalman will give you the dummy in a minute" meaning the signal man will clear signal no. (XYZ) in a minute thus allowing the train to proceed.

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DAA

Term coined by the Southern Region of British Rail (UK) in the 1980's as an abreviation for "Daft As Arseholes which in terms refers to gricers, cranks and those at the extreme end of railway enthusiasts.

DAA special aka crankex - a railtour orientated at enthusiasts wanting to travel on a particular, perhaps unusual railway route and /or with odd traction compared to a more traditional day-out excursion.

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chocolate teapot

UK: A chocolate teapot is an utterly useless item. Alternative terms also used are chocolate fireguard and chocolate kettle.

Refering to a useless or pointless item /deed /action /incapable person: "as much use as a chocolate teapot"

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muffin

UK: The act of oral sex upon a woman's genitalia (aka her muff).

In the 1950's & 60's there was a long standing joke about the unfortunately named children's television programme "Muffin the mule" being a sexual offence.

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full and frank discussion

Polite term used within the UK railway industry for giving someone (usually but not exclusively another member of staff) a severe reprimand or right bollocking for something they had done wrong, even dangerous or that they had allowed to happen.

A full and frank discussion may occur in lieu of a more formal reprimand such as a Form One offence.

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