Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#138451 01/31/2005 1:53 PM
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
.. it's just a large congregation!

Does anyone know the origin of the word ripped in the bodybuilding sense?

AFAIK the last time this came up was a tangent (wot a surprise!) in another discussion and did not get nailed:

http://wordsmith.org/board/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=words&Number=53047


#138452 01/31/2005 2:58 PM
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Rippped with three p's, or is that just a typo?


#138453 01/31/2005 3:06 PM
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
typo ~ MOI?! I do not know of what you speak

but if I did I would be taking the P very gently - aythangyu ;)


#138454 01/31/2005 7:39 PM
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
My assumption has always been that it is tied in somehow with repped. A rep is bodybuilder talk for a repetition of an exercise, and when I first saw ripped in this context I made that connection in my mind.



TEd
#138455 01/31/2005 7:43 PM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Could it come from rippled?


#138456 01/31/2005 7:55 PM
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,385
veteran
veteran
Offline
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,385
Could it come from rippled?

Rippled muscles. Good one!




#138457 01/31/2005 8:15 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
well TEd, Ripped is right next to Rep in "Bodybuilding Jargon"..

Ripped:
A condition of extremely low bodyfat with superior muscle separation and vascularity. Variations include sliced, cut, and cross-straited.


seems like there could be a transferral from Butcher's Jargon here. <g>

edit - Dr. Squat has it thusly:
Ripped -- Slang meaning extremely visible muscularity resulting from both hypertrophy and subcutaneous fat removal.

removal by ripping??

edit[2] - maybe there's a drug (e.g., steroid) connection, as in "man, are you ripped!"? <g>

#138458 01/31/2005 9:30 PM
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
I first heard this from the mouth of an LA confidential friend, and took it to have Lala provenance - is it possible it's a transfer from the argot of surf dudes, where I think rip used to equate to the standard English of 'top performance'...?



Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2025 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 8.0.0