Define "badass"?

[mikeoso]

I see a lot of use of the word "badass" to describe people and objects. It bemuses me. Where I came from, badass meant people who you seriously did not mess with, because they were capable of and inclined toward exaggerated acts of physical violence. When I hung out in South Chicago and when I served in the Marines in the '60s, the badasses were people who might kill you if you irritated them. "Badass" meant scary. The Blackstone Rangers were badass. NVA sapper teams were badass.

The badass didnt come from costume, and you couldnt talk your way into being thought a badass.

Now I see the word applied to bass headstocks, power stances, makeup, and paint jobs. A strap can be badass. People discuss whether a 35" 4 string bass is more badass than a 34" 5 string. Can someone please explain this linguistic shift? Does badass just mean trendy now...is "badass" the new "cool"? or do people now actually think that a spiky bass or strap with chrome studs really makes you physically intimidating?

 

[5StringBlues]

Have you seen the bridge?

 

[fretno]

I wouldn't go too far into it . just like the word slut has evolved . To me Badass is as good as it gets if referring to anything other than someone that will kill you with their little finger is less than 3 seconds .

 

[JGbassman]

It's been slanged as cool these days. Words evolve and change over time, this just happened to be one of those words.

Edit to say it's been this way for a few decades.

At least the dual meaning.

 

[GretschWretch]

Until you've taken a dose of metformin, you don't know badass.

 

[JGbassman]

Hats off to the Bird sanctuary, by the way. Awesome thing you are doing there. (It's badass, lol) I'm in Cedar Rapids, just up the road.

 

[5StringBlues]

I remember South Texas redneck types using badass back in the early 80's.

"Skynyrd's badass!"


"That's a badass Trans Am!"


"That chick gave you her number and a hogleg? BADASS!"

 

[MrLenny1]

Italian prog metal band.

 

[DigitalMan]

I see a lot of use of the word "badass" to describe people and objects. It bemuses me. Where I came from, badass meant people who you seriously did not mess with, because they were capable of and inclined toward exaggerated acts of physical violence. When I hung out in South Chicago and when I served in the Marines in the '60s, the badasses were people who might kill you if you irritated them. "Badass" meant scary. The Blackstone Rangers were badass. NVA sapper teams were badass.

The badass didnt come from costume, and you couldnt talk your way into being thought a badass.

Now I see the word applied to bass headstocks, power stances, makeup, and paint jobs. A strap can be badass. People discuss whether a 35" 4 string bass is more badass than a 34" 5 string. Can someone please explain this linguistic shift? Does badass just mean trendy now...is "badass" the new "cool"? or do people now actually think that a spiky bass or strap with chrome studs really makes you physically intimidating?

You’re a badass. Yay!

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I prefer BA over "sick".

 

[mikeoso]

Hats off to the Bird sanctuary, by the way. Awesome thing you are doing there. (It's badass, lol) I'm in Cedar Rapids, just up the road.

just an hour away! Come see us!

 

[Fun Size Nick]

Slang (and language in general) changes over time...it's always been so!

 

[Mvilmany]

Just look at the bridge. It tells you if you are “Badass” or not. According to my bass, I am a Badass. Who am I to question my bass?

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I see a lot of use of the word "badass" to describe people and objects. It bemuses me. Where I came from, badass meant people who you seriously did not mess with, because they were capable of and inclined toward exaggerated acts of physical violence. When I hung out in South Chicago and when I served in the Marines in the '60s, the badasses were people who might kill you if you irritated them. "Badass" meant scary. The Blackstone Rangers were badass. NVA sapper teams were badass.

The badass didnt come from costume, and you couldnt talk your way into being thought a badass.

Now I see the word applied to bass headstocks, power stances, makeup, and paint jobs. A strap can be badass. People discuss whether a 35" 4 string bass is more badass than a 34" 5 string. Can someone please explain this linguistic shift? Does badass just mean trendy now...is "badass" the new "cool"? or do people now actually think that a spiky bass or strap with chrome studs really makes you physically intimidating?

It means dope as hell. Killer. Sick. Astoundingly exciting. Anything that translates into very very cool. Which also means hip, or of popular interest.

 

[5StringBlues]

Just look at the bridge. It tells you if you are “Badass” or not. According to my bass, I am a Badass. Who am I to question my bass?

I literally had a guy borrow a bass at a jam that asked me what kind of egotist I was, having "Badass" on my bridge.


No foolin'.

 

[Mvilmany]

I literally had a guy borrow a bass at a jam that asked me what kind of egotist I was, having "Badass" on my bridge.

I would casually explain to him that it does not say “Egotist”, but rather “Badass” and that’s all that needs to be said.

 

[Spectrum]

This Rickenbacker was a badass:

 

[gln1955]

This thread is rad.

 

[juancaminos]

Until you've taken a dose of metformin, you don't know badass.

Two a day here!

 

[mikeoso]

This Rickenbacker was a badass:

View attachment 3262402

Without any doubt at all.