Pile of pants

[Megan Jones]

On Tue, 19 Dec 2000 08:18:03 -0500 douglas at NB.NET (Douglas G. Wilson) wrote:

>>It states it's non-vulgar. 'Pile', tho', has connotations in AmE that edge
>>it into that direction, as with the initialism, P.O.S., where P stands for
>>pile or piece, the O for of, and S for the s-word.
>>
>>'Pile' also evokes the alternate name for hemorrhoid, and in the context of
>>underwear, well, of 'skid-marks'.
>>
>>Whatever the Beeb says, it sure looks vulgar to me.
>
>To me too. "Pile of shit" is what is conveyed. The message would be the
>same if it were "pile of [insert almost any word, or none at all]".
>
>The Cassell slang dic. says "pants" < earlier "knickers", both meaning
>"rubbish" (i.e., in this context, "shit"). "Knickers" in this sense is IMHO
>probably euphemism for "knackers" = "testicles".


BOLLOCKS!  (grin)

which does actually mean "knackers" - but has nothing to do with "knickers" or
"pants", both of which denote undergarments and nothing more - neither of
which are thought to be vulgar these days (except by my grandma who prefers
the expression "panty-girdles" which caused much hilarity amongst me and my
siblings  when we misheard it as "panty-gurgles).

"Pile of pants" is exactly what it looks like, a collection of undergarments.
In Britain is in no way vulgar except that it is used by the younger
generation.  It is always said with a smile and means nothing more than
"rubbish" (garbage).  It's used on TV commercials throughout the day and
hemorrhoids and skid-marks couldn't be further from people's minds when they
use the expression.

When it was used in an official letter from the Home-office, all it can be
understood to have meant is "we think your application for assylum is
rubbish", althought the expression has a slightly comic undertone.