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I’ve lived in London for over 35 years. It’s common parlance. That kebab shop was a mugging. You were mugged in the apple store. Etc etc.
by cjsuk 9y ago
I’ve lived in London for over 35 years. It’s common parlance. That kebab shop was a mugging. You were mugged in the apple store. Etc etc.
- astura 9y agoI consulted three dictionaries, including a British one, before writing that comment. Your use very fringe at best and is very inappropriate anywhere else, as it was pointed out to you.
- JumpCrisscross 9y ago> Your use very fringe at best and is very inappropriate anywhere else New Yorker here. Perfectly fine usage there. “The cab driver robbed me” is our local variant.
- astura 9y ago"Robbed" is not the same as "mugged." You are correct that "robbed" does have a colloquial definition. >informal overcharge (someone) for something.
- dalore 9y agoIf you overpayed you were mugged. Very normal term here in the UK.
- darrenf 9y agoHonestly it seems those dictionaries are not at all up to date with common English informal phrases. Source: native and resident Londoner of >40 years, and user of "mugging" in the "ripped off" sense for most of them.
- DanBC 9y agoYou might find this interesting: https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/20477/what-exactly-does-it-mean-to-mug-somebody-off-in-british-english https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/20477/what-exact...
- chrisbennet 9y agoDictionaries lag behind the language. They do not define the language. [1] Metaphorically, the dictionary is a slightly out of date road map, it doesn't define the road network. When the poster tells you of a new road, he isn't "wrong" just because it doesn't show up on your old map. [1] http://www.maximumfun.org/adam-ruins-everything/adam-ruins-everything-episode-33-anne-curzan-talks-grammar-and-flexibility-lan http://www.maximumfun.org/adam-ruins-everything/adam-ruins-e...