Ask Experts Questions for FREE Help !
Ask
    mrdavidkerr's Avatar
    mrdavidkerr Posts: 6, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #1

    Feb 6, 2013, 02:37 PM
    Need a killer word. In UK we say rumbled. In US you say?
    Imagine a situation at a party where a guy is claiming that he is a professional footballer but then a girl steps in and tells everyone the guy is actually a car salesman!

    In the UK we'd say the guy had been RUMBLED. But in the USA that would mean he'd been in a fight.

    So what SINGLE word would people in the US use to describe this situation?

    Thanks
    Curlyben's Avatar
    Curlyben Posts: 18,514, Reputation: 1860
    BossMan
     
    #2

    Feb 6, 2013, 02:39 PM
    BUSTED has a similar meaning in the USA.
    odinn7's Avatar
    odinn7 Posts: 7,691, Reputation: 1547
    Entomology Expert
     
    #3

    Feb 6, 2013, 02:54 PM
    Busted

    Owned

    So tell me... what is wrong with being a used car salesman?
    Alty's Avatar
    Alty Posts: 28,317, Reputation: 5972
    Pets Expert
     
    #4

    Feb 6, 2013, 03:23 PM
    Dissed?
    Curlyben's Avatar
    Curlyben Posts: 18,514, Reputation: 1860
    BossMan
     
    #5

    Feb 6, 2013, 03:24 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by Alty View Post
    Dissed?
    Na, different meaning entirely..
    Dissed = Disrespected

    Rumbled is more Discovered or Found Out
    Alty's Avatar
    Alty Posts: 28,317, Reputation: 5972
    Pets Expert
     
    #6

    Feb 6, 2013, 03:27 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by Curlyben View Post
    Na, different meaning entirely..
    Dissed = Disrespected

    Rumbled is more Discovered or Found Out
    Darnit, and here I thought I was being so cool and hip.

    I'll go back to my knitting now. :(

    I can think of many phrases that would fit this, but not a single word that hasn't already been mentioned.
    mrdavidkerr's Avatar
    mrdavidkerr Posts: 6, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #7

    Feb 6, 2013, 03:37 PM
    Wondered about busted.
    It's what we brits would say swell.
    But reading online US dictionaries I got the impression Busted more referred to being apprehended by the police.
    So would older people use the term busted?
    I need to write something suitable for all US age groups.
    Wondergirl's Avatar
    Wondergirl Posts: 39,354, Reputation: 5431
    Jobs & Parenting Expert
     
    #8

    Feb 6, 2013, 03:44 PM
    He was outed

    His cover was blown

    Used car salesmen are cool and darn cute!
    Alty's Avatar
    Alty Posts: 28,317, Reputation: 5972
    Pets Expert
     
    #9

    Feb 6, 2013, 04:19 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by mrdavidkerr View Post
    Wondered about busted.
    It's what we brits would say swell.
    But reading online US dictionaries I got the impression Busted more referred to being apprehended by the police.
    So would older people use the term busted?
    I need to write something suitable for all US age groups.
    I like busted. I'm 42, and I'd use busted in this situation.
    dontknownuthin's Avatar
    dontknownuthin Posts: 2,910, Reputation: 751
    Ultra Member
     
    #10

    Feb 6, 2013, 04:34 PM
    Busted can mean arrested but that's a little outdated. These days we use busted in the US when we are talking about getting caught at something. For example, if a man walked in on his girlfriend having sex with someone else, she'd be busted. Or if a mom caught her son lying to him, he might tell his friends, "my mom found out I lied, I'm so busted!"

    Otherwise, we'd just say something like "caught in a lie".
    mrdavidkerr's Avatar
    mrdavidkerr Posts: 6, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #11

    Feb 6, 2013, 05:11 PM
    Thanks everyone. This has been my first post on this site and you've all been great! I'd started with busted days ago and the darn dictionaries had put me off. Should have come straight to you lot!

    If anyone comes up with another word I'd love to hear it.

    It's gone midnight over here, I'm off to bed!

    Cheers
    Alty's Avatar
    Alty Posts: 28,317, Reputation: 5972
    Pets Expert
     
    #12

    Feb 6, 2013, 05:35 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by mrdavidkerr View Post
    Thanks everyone. This has been my first post on this site and you've all been great! I'd started with busted days ago and the darn dictionaries had put me off. Should have come straight to you lot!

    If anyone comes up with another word I'd love to hear it.

    It's gone midnight over here, I'm off to bed!

    Cheers
    Welcome to the site. Stick around, you'll find we're a pretty great bunch, and the collective knowledge we have is unsurpassed. Ask anything, and someone will have an answer. :)
    Enigma1999's Avatar
    Enigma1999 Posts: 2,223, Reputation: 1077
    Welbeing Expert
     
    #13

    Feb 6, 2013, 08:18 PM
    He was "called out" for trying to bamboozle others.
    ebaines's Avatar
    ebaines Posts: 12,131, Reputation: 1307
    Expert
     
    #14

    Feb 7, 2013, 08:00 AM
    I agree with "busted" - and even though I'm a baby boomer I'm not tool old to understand it.

    To me the term "outed" is too closely linked with gay people who are forced "out of the closet" against their will - the phrase for this is "so-and-so was outed."
    Wondergirl's Avatar
    Wondergirl Posts: 39,354, Reputation: 5431
    Jobs & Parenting Expert
     
    #15

    Feb 7, 2013, 08:34 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by ebaines View Post
    I agree with "busted" - and even though I'm a baby boomer I'm not tool old to understand it.

    To me the term "outed" is too closely linked with gay people who are forced "out of the closet" against their will - the phrase for this is "so-and-so was outed."
    I agree that the current way of thinking of it is the way you say, but in the olden days, the word was more generic.

    I like "cover blown." "Busted" is okay too.
    ebaines's Avatar
    ebaines Posts: 12,131, Reputation: 1307
    Expert
     
    #16

    Feb 7, 2013, 08:58 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by Wondergirl View Post
    I agree that the current way of thinking of it is the way you say, but in the olden days, the word was more generic.
    Yep - that's how language evolves. In the olden days if someone was described as "gay" it meant they were cheerful or happy.
    mrdavidkerr's Avatar
    mrdavidkerr Posts: 6, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #17

    Feb 7, 2013, 09:42 AM
    Going with all everyone has said I think busted is definitely the word.
    But just to probe a little further;

    In the states do you ever use the word sussed? And would you write he was sussed or he was suss'd?
    odinn7's Avatar
    odinn7 Posts: 7,691, Reputation: 1547
    Entomology Expert
     
    #18

    Feb 7, 2013, 09:43 AM
    I never use it... what does it mean?

    I do overuse the F word though!
    Wondergirl's Avatar
    Wondergirl Posts: 39,354, Reputation: 5431
    Jobs & Parenting Expert
     
    #19

    Feb 7, 2013, 09:44 AM
    No sussing going on in this country! (What does it mean?)

    Sounds like something with downhill skiing -- the sussing sounds that are made.
    mrdavidkerr's Avatar
    mrdavidkerr Posts: 6, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #20

    Feb 7, 2013, 09:58 AM
    This is so weird isn't it!

    It's like a python sketch.

    Sussed is such a standard word over here. If you suss someone it means you have figured him out. Sussed and rumbled are much the same though I think rumbled has come more from the London gangster films. Next time your watching any Guy Ritchie films (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch etc.. ) listen out for it.

    We don't use the F word - we're British you know!

    (presume your inferring Feet and inches!)

Not your question? Ask your question View similar questions

 

Question Tools Search this Question
Search this Question:

Advanced Search

Add your answer here.


Check out some similar questions!

My furnace just rumbled a little and puffed out some smoke [ 0 Answers ]

Beckett burner forced air. Wondering if it would be a bad nozzle or filter on tank?

Outlook Attached word document opens after 30 seconds if you have word open [ 0 Answers ]

We have a weird issue on our XenApp 6 test environment using Outlook 2007 to open Word attachments. The behaviour is such that if a Word instance is already open and maximised with a document and we try to open a Word attachment from an e-mail, the attachment doesn't open unless you un-maximise the...


View more questions Search