"Tons" is the New In Word (Page 2): New? I'm 79, have used it for 77 years.

Bultaco Loc: Aiken, SC

New? I'm 79, have used it for 77 years.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

olemikey wrote:

Yes...another less than favorite I hear all the time from younger folks than I; substitution of 'Buttload" for "boatload" to describe large amounts of anything.......I can do with a boatload, but I'm definitely not interested in a buttload of anything!!!

https://blog.brightcellars.com/how-much-is-a-buttload-of-wine/

petrochemist Loc: UK

olemikey wrote:

Yes...another less than favorite I hear all the time from younger folks than I; substitution of 'Buttload" for "boatload" to describe large amounts of anything.......I can do with a boatload, but I'm definitely not interested in a buttload of anything!!!

If you follow dirtfarmers link you'll find the original Butt. I think the unit of measure predates the slang term by several centuries.
136 gallons of wine - You might actual like the contents after all.
I'd prefer a tun of good wine (that's 2 butts) and would weigh close to a ton.
I imagine it would go off before I could drink the whole lot - at 3 bottles a night it's close to a tears worth & I don't ever remember finishing 3 bottles in a night!

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

petrochemist wrote:

If you follow dirtfarmers link you'll find the original Butt. I think the unit of measure predates the slang term by several centuries.
136 gallons of wine - You might actual like the contents after all.
I'd prefer a tun of good wine (that's 2 butts) and would weigh close to a ton.
I imagine it would go off before I could drink the whole lot - at 3 bottles a night it's close to a tears worth & I don't ever remember finishing 3 bottles in a night!

Well, I never researched either phrase, but appreciate the update..... when asked, none that say it to me could tell me that! I had never heard it till around 2000 and on, just thought it a weird phrase.....at least now I can ask them if they are going to share the wine....... I had joked with one guy when I heard it from him , asked him if he had ever been incarcerated (did I, dang, yes I did).....

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Me, too.

BBurns Loc: South Bay, California

As in "Jerry has tons of posts!"

DukeTarHeel Loc: NC's "Research Triangle"

jerryc41 wrote:

For some reason, the word "tons" has got... (show quote)

Jerry, I think it's a regional expression. I'm from Boston and I've been using that all my life and I'm 72. It's like another word I've not heard outside of Massachusetts.... "wicked". Something can be wicked good or wicked bad.

I hope you have a ton of fun in the holiday and you stay wicked healthy all year long!

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Wicked == Very

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

I also used it as a kid. Tons of times.

DeanS Loc: Capital City area of North Carolina

Like many other Hoggers have posted, this trite little word has been in my vocabulary as long as I can remember.

Virgil Loc: The Hoosier State

jerryc41 wrote:

For some reason, the word "tons" has got... (show quote)

You can describe tons of things with that word!

gastech1949 Loc: Imperial Beach, CA.

In the words of Tennessee Ernie Ford "You load 16 Tons, what do you get? Another day older and deeper in debt"

KTJohnson Loc: Northern Michigan

I've heard it tons of times. I've used it lots of times.

tvhasben Loc: Chattanooga, Tennessee

olemikey wrote:

Yes...another less than favorite I hear all the time from younger folks than I; substitution of 'Buttload" for "boatload" to describe large amounts of anything.......I can do with a boatload, but I'm definitely not interested in a buttload of anything!!!

I also hear frequently "$#i+ton" and "A$$ton" and keep wondering which is the larger.

DukeTarHeel Loc: NC's "Research Triangle"

DirtFarmer wrote:

Wicked == Very

Just to confuse thing you can something is “wicked bad” and mean very good depending on content and inflection. Wicked cool language detail!