Screw the Pooch

[Reverend Joe]

Okay, I am sick and tired of hearing this phrase misused over and over since the movie, "Once upon a Time in Mexico," god bless it, came out. Everybody seems to have misunderstood this phrase as a result of context.

Its actual meaning, according to the Dictionary of American Slang, is to dick around; to waste time. It is a derivitave of "to **** the dog" and, propery used, it would appear as such: "We better quit screwing the pooch anf get to work." It does NOT mean to screw up a situation.

Look it up, damnit.

Edit: I just googled it, and it seems there are some very different definitions out there... so, never mind... please, discuss.

Edit 2: it seems Tom Wolfe, rather than Robert Rodriguez, screwed this one up.

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=350436

But, seriously, let's get this straightened out, once and for all. No more following Tom Wolfe's erroneous example. Use it right from now on.