- Pissant
A pissant, also seen as piss-ant and piss ant, is one or the other of two specific types of
ant . The word can also refer to an inconsequential, irrelevant, or worthless person, especially one who is irritating or contemptible out of proportion to his or her significance. Its origin is with "pismire", a 14th-century word for ant. [http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=19990331] [http://thenightwriterblog.powerblogs.com/posts/1152500340.shtml]The original "pissant" is any of a certain group of large ant species, commonly called "wood ants," that make [http://vinsonlab.tamu.edu/former/john/formica.htm mounded nests] in British and European forests. The name "pissant" arises from the urine-like odor produced by their nesting material—pine straw and pine needles—and the
formic acid that constitutes their venom. [http://www.takeourword.com/Issue102.html#Spotlight] "Formica rufa " is one such ant, but there are others with similar characteristics.In the United States, the word pissant can refer to any small ant that infests a home. [http://www.pestproducts.com/pissant.htm]
As an insult
This word is also used for people who only think of themselves, cocky.Fact|date=March 2008
The word "pissant" is used as an insult in the
United States . In conversations with his advisors during theVietnam War , U.S. presidentLyndon B. Johnson often referred toVietnam as "that damn piss-ant little country." [http://www.vva.org/TheVeteran/2001_01/rendezvous.htm] [http://www.johnkennethgalbraith.com/index.php?page=press&display=32&from=0] The word is used by lesser public figures as well: a Virginia politician once silenced a heckler by saying "I'm a big dog on a big hunt and I don't have time for a piss-ant on a melon stalk." [http://www.law.uoregon.edu/faculty/gepps/docs/unclebilly.html]External links
* [http://www.bhikku.net/2005/01/08.html 17th century drawing of a "pismire"/pissant]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
См. также в других словарях:
pissant — piss ant , a. Worthless or of no significance. [vulgar] [PJC] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
pissant — pissant, ante [pisɑ̃, ɑ̃t] adj. ÉTYM. XXe; de pisser. ❖ ♦ Pop. Très amusant, très comique. ⇒ Marrant … Encyclopédie Universelle
pissant — 1661, an ant, from first element of PISMIRE (Cf. pismire) (q.v.) + ANT (Cf. ant). Meaning contemptible, insignificant person is from 1903 … Etymology dictionary
pissant — or piss ant [pis′ant΄] n. 1. Dial. an ant 2. Slang a person regarded as insignificant and contemptible adj. Slang insignificant and contemptible … English World dictionary
pissant — /ˈpɪsænt/ (say pisant) Colloquial (taboo) –noun 1. fool; idiot: pompous old pissant. –phrase 2. drunk as a pissant, very drunk. 3. game as a pissant, very brave. 4. pissant around, to behave in a foolish or time wasting manner; fool around. {piss … Australian-English dictionary
pissant — AND piss ant 1. n. a wretched and worthless person. □ Look, you silly pissant, beat it! □ Wally is such a little pissant! 2. mod. worthless. □ I don’t want this little pissant piece of pie. Give me a real piece … Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions
pissant — noun Usage: often attributive Etymology: pissant ant, from 1piss + ant Date: 1945 sometimes vulgar one that is insignificant used as a generalized term of abuse … New Collegiate Dictionary
pissant — 1. noun /ˈpɪsænt/ a) An ant. Their super is a real pissant about break times. b) An insignificant person. 2. adjective /ˈpɪsænt/ Insignificant or un … Wiktionary
pissant — ˈ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ noun Etymology: piss (I) + ant chiefly dialect : ant * * * pissance, ans, pissant obs. Sc. ff. puissance, puissant … Useful english dictionary
pissant — /pis ant /, n. 1. Slang (vulgar). a person or thing of no value or consequence; a despicable person or thing. 2. Obs. an ant. adj. 3. Slang (vulgar). insignificant or worthless. Also, piss ant. [1655 65, in sense ant ; PISS + ANT, prob. orig. on… … Universalium
