Meaning of ugly stick | Babel Free

Definitions

1. A traditional Newfoundland musical instrument fashioned from household and toolshed items, typically a mop handle attached with bottle caps, small bells, tin cans, etc., which are struck with a drumstick while one end of the handle is hit against the floor.
   Canada
2. A notional stick with which unattractive people are said to have been hit, causing them to become ugly.
   US, humorous, slang

Equivalents

Examples

“You may also find an authentic ugly stick. It's masterfully constructed with beer stoppers, duct tape, a tobacco can, and a few pieces of wood. It just is…”

“Nobody's invited; everybody just comes. And there's no real planning, because the folks that come bring food and music with them. There are fiddles and squeezeboxes and ugly sticks and sometimes even drums to make the music.”

“A lot of you know what it is. It's an ugly stick. And you can see why. [laughter] Anyway, basically what it is is an old mop, or a new one if you're playing at the Arts and Culture Centre [prolonged laughter and clapping.] And it's an old juice can with some black tape over it. A handful of three and a half inch nails. Some felt tins, beer stoppers, wherever they came from [laughter], and that's about it, and it's supposed to make some music.”

“In the main room a traditional Newfoundland band was playing regional folk music. People were dancing and singing and having the best time. Everyone looked so happy as they passed around the "Ugly Stick," a traditional musical instrument made from household and tool shed items like a mop handle with bottle caps, tin cans, small bells and other items to make noise. […] I'm not sure I've ever felt happier than I did while I was banging the boot with the stick attached on the floor, the nailed on bottle caps clinking to the rhythm of the folk song the band was playing.”

“Signifying is a way of saying the truth that hurts with a laugh, a way of capping on (shutting up) someone. Getting even talking bout people's mammas & such. It's a love/hate exercise in exorcising one's hostilities. It's a funny way of saying something negative that is obviously untrue like: "you look like you been whupped wid uh ugly stick" […]”

“Another unique characteristic of signification is that it can be both light and heavy. […] An example of lightweight siggin or cappin is provided in the playful name-calling rituals, such as: "You so ugly look like you been hit by a ugly stick," and "Yo natural look like this broad on the wall" (pointing to a picture of Medusa).”

“You know something. You look like you've been whipped with a ugly stick.”

“Catfish must have been: a. Hit with the ugly stick. b. Run over by the ugly truck. c. Behind the door when they passed out good looks. d. Given ugly pills.”

“[I]t occurred to me that it would make everyone's life easier if he had some incentive to behave himself. This would comprise, for instance, not muttering "He was touched by the ugly stick" in a voodoo accent when passing one of God's unfortunates in the street; […]”

“The guy was so ugly he looked like he'd been whopped with an ugly stick.”

“I tell you what else ought to be outlawed in our school. J.H. Henry and his hair. He looks like he has been severely beaten with the wrong end of an ugly stick.”

“No, I was scared of the superficial kind [of ugliness] vilified in playground chants: "fell from a tree and got beaten by an ugly stick on the way down." Ugliness seemed like a scarlet letter—if just one person described you as such, you'd wear the U for eternity, doomed to a life of insults, ostracization, and friendships with donkeys (Source: Shrek).”

CEFR level