3 ms·

"found them all a bit pants" Can you explain this phrase to me? I've never heard it before and I can't get the meaning from the context. Thanks

• jpsouth 3y ago
  I can’t seem to find the history of it, but it essentially means somethings a bit rubbish, bad, or crap. Pants are typically underwear in Britain, we wear trousers (Jeans, chinos, suit trousers) over our pants (boxers, y-fronts, briefs) so probably not something you’d want to show off that much.
  • fm2606 3y ago
    Thanks for the reference to pants. In US pants covers jeans, chinos, slacks. Shorts are well, shorts. Underwear is our boxers, briefs, tighty-whiteys, etc.
    • jpsouth 3y ago
      A lot of Brits will use pants the same as you do to be fair, myself included. Shorts are mostly just shorts, but we do have jorts and chorts depending on how hipster your shorts wearing cohorts are.
• zabzonk 3y ago
  refers to underpants, with some perhaps dubious stains. common uk english.
  • fm2606 3y ago
    Thanks for that. I figured is was UK but didn't want to assume.
• perihelions 3y ago
  I believe it's this one? - "adjective. British slang. Not good; total crap; nonsense; rubbish; bad "The first half of the movie was pants but I stayed until the end and it was actually a great film."" https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pants https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pants HN is the pants, man! (am I doing it right? am I cool?)
  • philk10 3y ago
    Better would be - HN is the dogs bollocks, other sites are just bollocks
    • perihelions 3y ago
      No, it's the cat's pyjamas.