Shit or get off the pot

Shit or get off the pot

"Shit or get off the pot" is a common English language expression, used to urge someone to complete a task with a greater degree of efficiency or timeliness than is observed at the time the expression is used.

Derivation

It may derive from the time before indoor plumbing when a chamber pot was used for defecation. The expression, in this way, is essentially instruction for someone to stop being indecisive and act. Stuart Flexner, author of "I Hear America Talking", states that it is a vulgar rephrasing of the old New England expression "fish or cut bait."

Famous Uses

*Richard Nixon reportedly used the phrase while berating Dwight Eisenhower to put Nixon on his presidential ticket.

Uses in popular culture

*In the 1994 film "Clerks.", Randal uses the phrase to tell his friend Dante to make a decision regarding his present situation.
*In the 1999 film "The Bachelor", Jimmie uses the phrase when asking Anne to marry him.
*In the episode Local Ad of the US TV series "The Office, Meredith uses the phrase "piss or get off the pot" to tell Jim to hurry up.


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  • Shit or get off the pot! — Shit or get off the can/pot! mainly American, taboo something that you say when you want someone to make a decision and take action without any more delay. It s time for management to shit or get off the pot. If they aren t going to meet the… …   New idioms dictionary

  • Shit or get off the pot! — in. Do something or go away!; Do something or give someone else a chance!; Hurry up! (Usually objectionable.) □ Hurry up with it, Fred! Shit or get off the pot! □ Shit or get off the pot! Make up your mind …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • shit or get off the pot — verb To choose between taking action now, or foregoing the opportunity until a later date. We cant wait all night for you to decide whether youre going clubbing with us or going home, man – you need to shit or get off the pot …   Wiktionary

  • shit or get off the pot — do it or move, dog in the manger    He s holding the phone but he s not using it. I wish he d shit or get off the pot! …   English idioms

  • shit or get off the pot — shit (or piss) or get off the pot vulgar slang used to convey that someone should stop wasting time and get on with something …   Useful english dictionary

  • Shit or get off the can! — Shit or get off the can/pot! mainly American, taboo something that you say when you want someone to make a decision and take action without any more delay. It s time for management to shit or get off the pot. If they aren t going to meet the… …   New idioms dictionary

  • shit or get off the pot — v. take action or leave …   English slang

  • pot — {{11}}pot (n.1) vessel, from late O.E. pott and O.Fr. pot, both from a general Low Germanic and Romanic word from V.L. *pottus, of uncertain origin, said by OED to be unconnected to L.L. potus drinking cup (c.600). Celtic forms are said to be… …   Etymology dictionary

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