Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Vegging Out

Yesterday I vegged out. After swimming and biking of course. But after that I would definitely say I vegged out. I watched way too much TV. I ingested way too much crap. But we call that relaxation. Hmmm. I need to eat more vegetables. But wait...I vegged out. Why does that not involve eating vegetables? Why does it, in fact, usually involve eating anything BUT vegetables. Hmmm.

The Merriam Webster Dictionary says this:

Main Entry: veg out
Pronunciation: 'vej-
Function: intransitive verb
Inflected Form(s): vegged out; veg·ging out
Etymology: short for vegetate
: to spend time idly or passively

Phrase finder says this:

Veg out

Meaning

Relax in a slothful and mindless manner.

Origin

From the association of vegetables with mental incapacity; in the way that mentally disabled people are sometimes referred to as vegetables. 'Couch potato' comes from the same notion.


Hmmm...so why are you a vegetable if you do nothing? Cause veggies don't move? Hmmm. Maybe because it comes from vegetate? Let us investigate further...

MW says:

Main Entry: veg·e·tate
Pronunciation: 've-j&-"tAt
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): -tat·ed; -tat·ing
Etymology: Medieval Latin vegetatus, past participle of vegetare to grow
intransitive senses
1 a : to grow in the manner of a plant; also : to grow exuberantly or with proliferation of fleshy or warty outgrowths b : to produce vegetation
2 : to lead a passive existence without exertion of body or mind
transitive senses : to establish vegetation in or on

Definitions of vegetate on the Web:

  • lead a passive existence without using one's body or mind
  • establish vegetation on; "They vegetated the hills behind their house"
  • produce vegetation; "The fields vegetate vigorously"
  • grow like a plant; "This fungus usually vegetates vigorously"
  • grow or spread abnormally; "warts and polyps can vegetate if not removed"
  • propagate asexually; "The bacterial growth vegetated along"
  • vege out: engage in passive relaxation; "After a hard day's work, I vegetate in front of the television"

    • So...vegetate either means grow rapidly or lay around. Two opposites. Very interesting. So maybe we should start a revolution with this phrase and start using it to mean you can veg out by being active or lay around? Hmmm.

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    10 comments:

    1. karenMay 30, 2006 at 1:39 PM

      Maybe it involves those 2 opposites cuz if you veg out long enough (not moving) you will have warts and polyps propagate vigorously over your body... Let's try it out...

      ReplyDelete
    2. ElaineMay 30, 2006 at 2:17 PM

      Or maybe if you veg for too long, you just grow and grow and grow!

      ReplyDelete
    3. donnaMay 30, 2006 at 2:40 PM

      hahaha- those are both hilarious images!

      Maybe we need to lay around and veg (conserving energy but still consuming large quantities of crap?) so that we'll have the energy to grow rapidly later on.

      Maybe it's a necessary break. Because we know our brains aren't getting a break while we're sleeping! ;-)

      ReplyDelete
    4. judithMay 30, 2006 at 3:46 PM

      The way I see it, one set of definitions pertain to plants, the other set to humans. At this point though it doesn't seem like such an odd combo. I think we can pick and choose what suits us -- except for the "asexually reproducing" bit. The idea of breaking out in potato spuds due to ingesting large quantities of potato chips is too sci-fi for me.

      ReplyDelete
    5. ereinMay 30, 2006 at 4:36 PM

      okay, I'm recasting my vote for the crack dreams.

      You Miss Linguist, owe me a bike ride. :) Come to Arastradero with me after work on Friday or Saturday. I might even have the Juliana back by then.

      ReplyDelete
    6. ElaineMay 30, 2006 at 4:45 PM

      Really? Even after the Mexican poppies you still want crack dreams? Ok, but the only other good one recently was linguistics related. Hahahaha.

      Friday or Sat...very good possibilities :)

      ReplyDelete
    7. ereinMay 30, 2006 at 7:55 PM

      I'll let you ride the Nomad. :)

      ReplyDelete
    8. ElaineMay 30, 2006 at 10:20 PM

      Not if that means I have to go downhill!

      ReplyDelete
    9. BridgetMay 31, 2006 at 11:56 AM

      Here's my take-- if you veg out for too long, you will decompose and be very good fertilizer for some plant that will spring out of you and grow rapidly.

      ReplyDelete
    10. ereinMay 31, 2006 at 3:47 PM

      Pft-there's no downhill in mountain biking. It's all flat roads and daisies.

      ReplyDelete

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