Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2020 December 8

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December 8[edit]

Fudge[edit]

The earlier question about bloody got me thinking about euphemisms and it occurred to me that the word "fudge" may hold the unique distinction of serving as a euphemism for two entirely distinct vulgarities: fuck, as in What the fudge? and shit, as in fudge packer. I don't think you could use them together, unfortunately; A load of fudging fudge doesn't really scan well. So, are there other examples - or does the fudge stand alone? I was thinking breasts/testicles might share some term, but I couldn't think of any. Matt Deres (talk) 21:16, 8 December 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Breasticles? Also, I recall "Fanny Farmer's Fudge" as the... butt of many jokes. 2603:6081:1C00:1187:4D00:61FD:C4AB:CCB5 (talk) 21:29, 8 December 2020 (UTC)[reply]
And fanny means quite different things in the UK and the US.--Shantavira|feed me 10:16, 9 December 2020 (UTC)[reply]
T'ain't there just a little space between the two? --Jayron32 18:55, 9 December 2020 (UTC)[reply]
I read it as more of a euphemism for feces by any name, rather than a euphemism for 'shit' specifically. I've never heard "shit packer" in my life, and it gets a lot fewer hits than fudge packer. (Luckily we don't hear people say fudge like that much after school days.) Temerarius (talk) 02:15, 10 December 2020 (UTC)[reply]
I've heard it in reference to a homophobic joke. As for "fudge", I would think it's kind of old-fashioned. In a W.C. Fields movie, possibly "Poppy", some disgruntled character says "Ah, fudge!" and Fields warns the guy, "I'll thank you not to use that sort of language in front of my innocent little daughter! Cease!" ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 02:57, 10 December 2020 (UTC)[reply]