ETYMOLOGY - NEEDS HIS ARSE FELT

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spalidinggray@spaldingray.com - 25 Jan 2007 09:39 GMT

NEEDS HIS ARSE FELT is a common colloquial expression in Scotland
meaning that someone needs reigned in or checked in his behaviour.

examples.

if he carries on like that he'll get his arse felt.

that yin needs his arse felt.

I suggest it came via NEEDS HIS BUMPS FELT - NEEDS HIS BUM FELT -
NEEDS HIS ARSE FELT.

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Peter Duncanson - 25 Jan 2007 11:42 GMT

>NEEDS HIS ARSE FELT is a common colloquial expression in Scotland
>meaning that someone needs reigned in or checked in his behaviour.
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>I suggest it came via NEEDS HIS BUMPS FELT - NEEDS HIS BUM FELT -
>NEEDS HIS ARSE FELT.

Is it that complicated?

My guess on seeing the phrase "arse felt" was that it is an
understatement (litotes) for "kicked" or some other form of
pressure-application-to-the-buttocks-so-as-to-cause-pain.

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Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.english.usage)

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spalidinggray@spaldingray.com - 25 Jan 2007 13:21 GMT

>>NEEDS HIS ARSE FELT is a common colloquial expression in Scotland
>>meaning that someone needs reigned in or checked in his behaviour.
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>understatement (litotes) for "kicked" or some other form of
>pressure-application-to-the-buttocks-so-as-to-cause-pain.

Many people prefer to use "He needs his bum felt" which made me think
it must have been a corruption of the Victorian expressoin "he needs
his bumps felt".

its just a theory,

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Martin Ambuhl - 25 Jan 2007 16:01 GMT

>> My guess on seeing the phrase "arse felt" was that it is an
>> understatement (litotes) for "kicked" or some other form of
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> its just a theory,

It is not a theory. It is an isolated random hypothesis at best, a
silly guess spun from nothing.

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spalidinggray@spaldingray.com - 25 Jan 2007 21:34 GMT

>>> My guess on seeing the phrase "arse felt" was that it is an
>>> understatement (litotes) for "kicked" or some other form of
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>It is not a theory. It is an isolated random hypothesis at best, a
>silly guess spun from nothing.

do you have a better suggestion as to where this peculiar expression
came from ?

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Adrian Bailey - 26 Jan 2007 21:01 GMT

> NEEDS HIS ARSE FELT is a common colloquial expression in Scotland
> meaning that someone needs reigned in

reining in

Adrian

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John Varela - 27 Jan 2007 03:28 GMT

>> NEEDS HIS ARSE FELT is a common colloquial expression in Scotland
>> meaning that someone needs reigned in
>
> reining in

Reign, rein, go away... "Needs reined in" instead of "needs to be reined
in" would be a common usage in parts of the USA. As in, "the car needs
washed", "the grass needs cut", or "the garbage needs carried out".

Signature

John Varela
Trade NEW lamps for OLD for email.

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2007

ETYMOLOGY - NEEDS HIS ARSE FELT