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Erectile Dysfunction is defined as the consistent or recurrent inability to acquire or sustain an erection of sufficient rigidity and duration for sexual intercourse.

Clinic 45

I'm a non-native speaker of English and in my mother tongue there are a few pejorative terms for a man who suffers from erectile dysfunction. Is there any in English?

  • I'm not looking for lists.
  • I'm not looking for the word "impotent" as it isn't pejorative.
  • Please mention in which English speaking country people use it.
  • People who use such word/phrase usually intend to belittle or offend.
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Centaurus
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  • I think there are more pejorative expressions for the lack of manhood than for its limpness. I shall be particularly interested in hearing any new slang terms. :) – Mari-Lou A Oct 26 '14 at 00:54
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    Downvotes are welcome if they explain why they are given. We can only correct our flaws if we know what they are. – Centaurus Oct 26 '14 at 00:58
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    POB, fishing, See don't ask. – SrJoven Oct 26 '14 at 01:13
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    @SrJoven - What's 'POB'? – Erik Kowal Oct 26 '14 at 03:01
  • Any downvotes to this question without the courtesy of explanation is symptomatic of it. – Blessed Geek Oct 26 '14 at 03:52
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    @SrJoven I don't see how POB fits here, so +1 ErikKowal. – Sylas Seabrook Oct 26 '14 at 04:48
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    The flaw in our question is that you have shown no amount of research to indicate that there is an ounce of seriousness to it. In case I have the wrong impression, you should at least recognize that the way you posed your question points to that conclusion. – Canis Lupus Oct 26 '14 at 04:50
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    @ErikKowal I think I found it after my last comment: Primarily Opinion-Based. I disagree, though: "Does XYZ exist?" Can be easily established by demonstrating existence. – Sylas Seabrook Oct 26 '14 at 04:50
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    @CanisLupus he has shown research, he's included the definition of erectile dysfunction, the OP also wants to know in which English speaking country these slang words are commonly used, a very sensible request from a non-native speaker. I suppose he could have googled "slang impotency" but very often these "slang" sites offer an interminable list of expressions from which it is impossible to discern those that are more common and established than others. – Mari-Lou A Oct 26 '14 at 06:59
  • Wow! Four downvotes and four upvotes (so far). Golly gosh, it appears to be a highly sensitive subject, and one many men prefer not to dwell on :P – Mari-Lou A Oct 26 '14 at 07:07
  • @Centaurus - regarding the downvotes. Voting on this site is basically nuts, so just totally ignore it. I think just one problem is a lot of people here, uh, can't speak English and hence miss the tone of QA. To me your question reads as a perfectly straightforward, completely interesting, everyday question. It does not in the slightest come off as a "bevis and buthead" style "hee hee joke" question. Regarding "not enough research" it's just meaningless, the last 50 questions on here have no research and are just people asking things. – Fattie Oct 26 '14 at 08:38
  • Unfortunately, a question like ought to hit the "hot network questions", SE users would then confirm or offer alternative answers. In any case, the question is definitely ON TOPIC. – Mari-Lou A Oct 26 '14 at 08:52
  • @CanisLupus I suspect any question related to sex will be labeled as "not a serious question" by a large number of members. There are, however, a few clues suggesting that mine doesn't fit that. First, my use of a technical vocabulary should point to that. Second, I explained that there are several terms for that in my mother tongue, and I don't know any in English. Third, I made it quite clear what I'm looking for and not for a moment did I try to sound funny or fresh. Last - and there's no way you could know that -I'm an MD, middle-aged, and my questions about the subject are always serious. – Centaurus Oct 26 '14 at 12:40
  • @Andrew Leach The definition was taken from "www.uptodate.com", a site I subscribe. Please, keep the right reference. – Centaurus Oct 26 '14 at 12:43
  • @Centaurus You're free to keep the right reference if you link to the page containing that text and it's accessible to non-subscribers. Otherwise you risk spam flags (which is how this was brought to attention in the first place). – Andrew Leach Oct 26 '14 at 12:45
  • Only subscribers have access to it. But I can give you my login and password if you want to check. – Centaurus Oct 26 '14 at 12:47
  • "Impotent" is a pejorative, in many contexts. – Hot Licks Oct 26 '14 at 13:13
  • @HotLicks whether pejorative or not, It's a word I already know. – Centaurus Oct 26 '14 at 13:51
  • I would reconsider my remarks if it weren't for the fact that the single link referred to as "research" pointed to a web page that makes no mention of the topic. It took twelve hours for a correction to be made, and even then it was done by a Andrew, a long time contributor to this site, and not by the author of the question. And given that the Author claims to be an MD, I would hope he might have taken the hint he so explicitly asked for and provided improved content. It's not as if he arrived here yesterday. – Canis Lupus Oct 26 '14 at 14:56
  • Here's my take on why I said POB/fishing. Regardless of if the subject is on topic, it is not a good fit (and this is my opinion, likely shared with others) to find pejoratives for the sake of finding pejoratives. Yes, I know the OP says "no list" but what does one expect from the question? One suggested word or a yes/no answer? Then only one answer need be given. But more importantly, what problem does the question solve? Why would this site be good to provide a [list of] pejorative[s] for a phrase? It seems contrary to be nice. – SrJoven Oct 26 '14 at 15:41
  • @CanisLupus Nobody mentioned "a web page that makes no mention of the topic to me". Instead, it was flagged to one of the moderators. Had you mentioned it in your comment, I would have given you the right explanation. But it seems to me is that what you wanted from the start was to see the question closed. – Centaurus Oct 26 '14 at 16:23
  • @CanisLupus The reference site is http://www.uptodate.com/contents/approach-to-the-patient-with-excessive-daytime-sleepiness?source=search_result&search=eye&selectedTitle=75%7E150 where I am a subscriber and it's one of the most reliable sites on medical matters. I could have got the definition at Wikipédia or another non-medical site but I treat medical matters as they should be treated. And sure "it took 12 hours for a correction to be made". First, you didn't mention that flaw to me. Second, even if you did, I posted the question late at night and then went to bed. – Centaurus Oct 26 '14 at 16:28
  • Are you interested in the subject of ED or EDS? The link in your last comment looks irrelevant to ED, but relevant to EDS. What do you mean "not looking for lists"? What is your native language and what are some or the corresponding pejorative terms that you refer to in that language? To keep answers focused, typically some context, like how these terms would be used, is helpful. As someone who has contributed here for several months, you should know that this information, if added, should go into an edit of the question, and not in the comments. – Canis Lupus Oct 26 '14 at 16:45
  • @CanisLupus http://www.uptodate.com/contents/overview-of-male-sexual-dysfunction?source=search_result&search=erectile+dysfunction&selectedTitle=1%7E150 This is the link. – Centaurus Oct 26 '14 at 17:36
  • @CanisLupus With reference to your question on "how the term would be used", as someone who has been here for a long time and has answered 388 questions so far, you don't seem to have the same rigid standards every time you answer a question. http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/158178/a-derogatory-word-for-a-splendid-person/158183#158183 or http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/157795/what-is-the-equivalent-of-sub-super-sonic-for-the-speed-of-light/157796#157796 This last one... is it about English language ? Or Physics ? – Centaurus Oct 26 '14 at 17:47

4 Answers4

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Limp-dick (or limp dick) is the most common slang term. (at least in US English)

noun An ineffectual man; an impotent man; wimp (1970s+)

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/limp-dick

There are a lot of entries in Urbandictionary also.

ermanen
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  • OP (and ML), as far as I know, yes, this is the only common phrase. I think it is used on both sides of the Atlantic. (Err - not that I'd know of course! : ) ) – Fattie Oct 26 '14 at 08:40
  • Is it used as "he is a..." or "he has a..." ? – Centaurus Oct 26 '14 at 14:50
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    @Centaurus: It is used as "He is a limp-dick". If you say "he has a limp dick", it means he doesn't have an erection. But colloquially, "he has a limp-dick" might be used in the former sense though it is less common. – ermanen Oct 26 '14 at 16:44
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Here are different ways to express the concept: (AmE)

  • 180 degrees shy of heaven and other curious expressions.

(From ( Slightly Off: God, Sex and All Stops in Between)

Another expression given by Urban Dict. is wet noodle .

  • See, this exemplifies my comment under the OP question, is this creative expression common and well-known? You say it's AmEng, but can you say that you have ever said or heard this phrase before? I tend to avoid answering these type of questions because I'm "cut off" from everyday English, the English I use and hear is from friends, relatives and books; the subject of male impotency rarely, if ever, crops up. – Mari-Lou A Oct 26 '14 at 07:14
  • @Mari-LouA - I posted this answer because I think the link is interesting and it offers a number of related expressions. Being a taboo issue the are not probably part of everyday usage ( or probably are among young communities for instance). –  Oct 26 '14 at 07:28
  • Hey ML, your question ... "See, this exemplifies my comment under the OP question, is this creative expression common and well-known?" The only possible answer to that is a "survey answer". So, just one person's opinion - reading that passage in the book I have never, ever heard one of them. (It's unclear if he made them all up on the spot, or if they are obscure ones the writer has heard.) – Fattie Oct 26 '14 at 08:35
  • @JoeBlow No, the answer is a native speaker who confirms that this usage is very common or rare. The "survey answer" you speak of are the number of upvotes an answer receives, which is true for EL&U and Urban Dictionary. The more "thumb ups" a term and its definition receives on UD, the more I am inclined to think it is well-established. – Mari-Lou A Oct 26 '14 at 08:45
  • Hi ML -- I suppose you're right. But what I mean is this: say we were talking in a cafe and you asked me "is XYZ a well-known term in the USA?" the only possible answer is purely my opinion. for written references, you can read lots of magazines or perhaps use online text searches, and get a result that way. but for (cough) "oral usage", it can really only be, in the cafe example given, my opinion. if we had another comedy writer at the table, that lady might say "oh sure, joey's wrong, everyone would know that..." Anyways - back to work! – Fattie Oct 26 '14 at 08:53
  • ("No, the answer is a native speaker who confirms that this usage is very common or rare." well that's what I just said! I'm a maternelle and IMO (the "180" link at hand) those are unknown.) – Fattie Oct 26 '14 at 08:54
  • I feel like I'm in Moonlighting sometimes... :) – Fattie Oct 26 '14 at 08:56
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The use of the indefinite it is common, as in the sentence

He can't get it up!

Less common is an expression used in the play "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof":

"[He] can't cut the mustard."

See this answer. In other words, the man with E.D. is not up to the task. This phrase is used more widely without the sexual connotation, as in the following sentence:

Even after months of physical training, the runner couldn't cut the mustard in the marathon.

In other words, he couldn't "make it" as a marathon runner.

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rhetorician
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As a disclaimer, I'm not sure if this is used outside of Belize. That being said, Belize is an English speaking country.

Dull knife

The logic behind that one is that you have a thing that is useless for its intended purpose. That is, he still has the equipment - it just no longer works.

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