"Don=?utf-8?Q?=E2=80=99t_?=let the door hit you in the butt on the way out"

[sclements at NEO.RR.COM]

I've always assumed it was used by a person throwing an obnoxious guest of of his house, and (possibly) slamming the door closed behind the obnoxious one, telling him to leave and be quick about it or the door will hit you in the ass.

sam clements

---- "Baker wrote:
> Yes, it should mean "leave quickly," and that is the apparent intent.  However, screen doors normally open outward, with a spring to bring the door closed after someone walks through the doorway.  When the screen door closes, therefore, you would be in danger of being hit in the butt only if you were walking into the building, not leaving.
>
>
> John Baker
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Benjamin Barrett
> Sent: Saturday, November 03, 2012 6:47 PM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: "Don’t let the door hit you in the butt on the way out"
>
> So it means "leave quickly." Thank you. I wonder how many other people don't get that.
>
> Benjamin Barrett
> Seattle, WA
>
> On Nov 3, 2012, at 3:42 PM, Dan Goncharoff <thegonch at GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>
> >
> > Have you ever walked out through a screen door on a spring hinge? You
> > have to walk out pretty quickly to avoid having it hit you...
> >
> > DanG
> >
> >
> > On Sat, Nov 3, 2012 at 5:55 PM, Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at ix.netcom.com>wrote:
> >
> >> I think I would say the standard form I know is "Don't let the door
> >> hit you on the way out." I didn't rip that off of anyone. It's
> >> something I have heard for as long as I can remember.
> >>
> >> Although I understand it means "Scram and don't return," I've never
> >> understood the imagery, so I don't use it. It seems to be some sort
> >> of sarcasm, implying that even the door wants to get rid of you so
> >> bad, that it's prepared to hit the person in the behind.
> >>
> >> The expression that Wilson provides doesn't elucidate the imagery at
> >> all for me.
> >>
> >> Benjamin Barrett
> >> Seattle, WA
> >>
> >> On Nov 3, 2012, at 2:42 PM, Wilson Gray <hwgray at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >>>
> >>> Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, Inc., wrote thus.
> >>>
> >>> Y'all, the expression is,
> >>>
> >>> "Don't let the screendoor hit you
> >>> Where the good Lord split you"
> >>>
> >>> See there? It make since! <har! har!>  Iss the punchline of a whole
> >>> lot of traditional jokes referencing, e.g. a preacher downing
> >>> congregants walking out on his sermon, If y'all are going to rip us
> >>> off, *please* get it right. It ain't really no need for to half-ass
> >>> black oral tradition into incoherence!
>
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>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
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