Monday, February 25, 2008
Do me a solid
Do me a solid is a wonderful new phrase that has made an appearance in the modern lexicon. It means do me a favor, but conveys a shading of the favor between friends that the Clarion most appreciates. A favor is an act of grace, consideration or sympathy. Certainly, nothing to be looked askance at, but rather to be accepted with humble gratitude and returned grace.
However, in our view, modern American society, as epitomized by the Mafia movie, has exploited the favor, turning it into a quid pro quo. A quid pro quo is in fact something quite different than a favor, it is an act done, rather than out of kindness or grace, with the expectation of the return action in mind. It is done in the mindset of, "I do this because; then you will owe me (one.) And I will be able to call on you when I need it."
Do me a solid has made an end around that kind of favor to recapture the original essence of the deed. A solid is not a favor that creates or carries with it an obligation, beyond the mutual obligation to care for one another that is inherent in real friendship. It is rather doing the right thing, the obvious act of grace. A friend comes to you in need, you do not tote up the score of whom has helped whom most recently and how much. If they say do me a solid, they need you. To do a solid is to do the right thing in that kind of situation, unquestioningly, with no expectation of return. Friends are always in each other's debt. Friends are solid. You can count on them.
“There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves.” –Jane Austen
Comments:
This phrase probably formed out of the portion of the cloud of meaning around solid where firm borders dependable.
Damn, and I always thought it meant heading off into the woods for your morning constitution while camping (or living in certain parts of Appalachia)! As in "I'm gonna go do me a solid, so if you need me, yell!"
# posted by 
: 2/28/2008 5:52 PM
: 2/28/2008 5:52 PM
Anon-
I believe you fail to consider the loose bowels scenario here. Not everyone can just do a morning solid on command. Depends on dinner's ingredients, no?
Perhaps, the phrase, "Drop a load," which could be either wet or dry, would work better when you head off into the woods. And by the by, don't forget the t.p. when ya go.
I believe you fail to consider the loose bowels scenario here. Not everyone can just do a morning solid on command. Depends on dinner's ingredients, no?
Perhaps, the phrase, "Drop a load," which could be either wet or dry, would work better when you head off into the woods. And by the by, don't forget the t.p. when ya go.
While the phrase might be gaining popularity, it is definitely not new, having been used in the 70's if not earlier.
# posted by : 1/24/2009 10:49 PM
: 1/24/2009 10:49 PM
I love it. I just used this phrase and the intended receiver had no idea of what it meant. At least somebody out there is using it properly.
# posted by : 7/10/2009 11:00 AM
: 7/10/2009 11:00 AM
I always considered the phrase "do me a solid" to mean the request was a bit more than your standard favor.
To do a solid is to go above and beyond the norm, to provide more to the recipient than the amount of help provided to a casual acquaintance, to give something of value (whether time, money, or emotional/physical effort) in such quantity that costs you something of yourself to give it, and therefore is not lightly given away.
To do a solid is to go above and beyond the norm, to provide more to the recipient than the amount of help provided to a casual acquaintance, to give something of value (whether time, money, or emotional/physical effort) in such quantity that costs you something of yourself to give it, and therefore is not lightly given away.
I, too, have heard it since at least the 1970s, and I've assumed (or been told) that "solid" is short for "solid favor." Maybe from Black or musicians' slang? It sounds very hip (although I understand that "South Park" and the movie "Juno" have led to overuse among the younger generation, which makes it less so).
A Google search turned up "Do me a solid" in a 1991 Seinfeld episode: http://www.seinfeldscripts.com/TheJacket.htm.
A Google search turned up "Do me a solid" in a 1991 Seinfeld episode: http://www.seinfeldscripts.com/TheJacket.htm.
# posted by : 2/19/2010 9:13 AM
: 2/19/2010 9:13 AM
Agree with Nay, I had the same idea that it meant do me a really special favor, maybe at the beginning it meant that but now it is a call for a simple help.
Good name for a Dog-
Excellent research, who knew that the phrase "Do me a solid..." went back so far. I guess the kids are just re-popularizing something that was already hip eons ago. Thanks for the heads up.
CC
Excellent research, who knew that the phrase "Do me a solid..." went back so far. I guess the kids are just re-popularizing something that was already hip eons ago. Thanks for the heads up.
CC
http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=1867348
Down a bit on the thread, mplsray includes an earlier reference for this phrase.
"Do me a solid" is listed under the entries for the year 1973 in the book Year by Year in the Rock Era, 1987 by Herb Hendler, viewable in preview via Google Books, included in a section on page 161 labeled "Some of the More Widely Used Argot, Jargon and Slang of the Rock Era"
Down a bit on the thread, mplsray includes an earlier reference for this phrase.
"Do me a solid" is listed under the entries for the year 1973 in the book Year by Year in the Rock Era, 1987 by Herb Hendler, viewable in preview via Google Books, included in a section on page 161 labeled "Some of the More Widely Used Argot, Jargon and Slang of the Rock Era"
# posted by : 10/07/2010 11:15 AM
: 10/07/2010 11:15 AM
the latin way of saying you were referring to is not quid pro quo, but "do ut des" (I give you something to have something in return) qui (and no quid) pro quo means: misunderstanding...
This is typical slang-churn, where standard English words are replaced by in-group slang terms that mean just the same thing.
It's all a way of using language as power -- in this case, making outsiders of people who use, understand, and communicate in standard language.
This kind of maneuver has roots in every oppressed group I ever heard of -- recently American blacks -- who at once want to talk so only they understand one another, and to make fun of others who can't possibly understand them.
Standard English works. This sucks.
(So to speak.)
It's all a way of using language as power -- in this case, making outsiders of people who use, understand, and communicate in standard language.
This kind of maneuver has roots in every oppressed group I ever heard of -- recently American blacks -- who at once want to talk so only they understand one another, and to make fun of others who can't possibly understand them.
Standard English works. This sucks.
(So to speak.)
# posted by : 5/18/2011 9:33 AM
: 5/18/2011 9:33 AM
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