What does 'bling' actually mean?

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And where does it come from, mobiles or UK Garage? I feel my life is incomplete without this knowledge.

Bill

― Bill, Wednesday, 8 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

'bling bling' is the sound jewellery makes banging against other jewellery. hence in a materialistic sense it's a positive term

― m jemmeson, Wednesday, 8 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I always thought it was a varient of the cha-ching sounds of a cash register. In either case, it traces to American rap, as far as I know.

― Sterling Clover, Wednesday, 8 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I thought it referred to headlights and boobies. I'm not sure why, though. Headlights don't go bling bling and neither do boobies.

― Nude Spock, Wednesday, 8 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

short for 'blurillazing'.

― ethan, Wednesday, 8 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Bling-bling is like reverse synaesthesia; it's the chimey sound you imagine hearing when something sparkles. It probably derives from cartoons, actually.

― Kris, Wednesday, 8 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Kris: You mean like

* bling! *

― Nitsuh, Wednesday, 8 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Damn HTML. I'm pretty sure I meant:

* bling! *

― Nitsuh, Wednesday, 8 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Fuck it: I was trying to get a "blink" tag in there.

― Nitsuh, Wednesday, 8 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Its blinkin', bling bling, just doesn't show up in Explorer. Try Netscape.

― bnw, Wednesday, 8 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Stop the madness.

― bnw, Wednesday, 8 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I thought it was sort of *plinking* someone. When they said something naughty. Bling bling in yer face.

― nathalie (nathalie), Thursday, 9 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I've got Netscape and that shit is blinking like a mother in a smokey bar.

― Kate the Saint, Thursday, 9 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

nathalie: I think we all gon' have to put on some shades.

― Sterling Clover, Thursday, 9 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

My plan for the weekend = go to nail bar to get some long curly ho nails with BLING and BLING airbrushed onto them so when I am out clubbin I can wave them in boys' faces. BLING BLING!

― Emma, Thursday, 9 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

It definitely refers to jewellery (and the general flash that comes from cash by extension), and I've always gone for the "it's the sound that rocks would make as they flash back at you, if they made a sound"...

― Mark Morris, Thursday, 9 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

'Bling' is the official spelling for the noise it makes when you start a new game of Super Mario World.

― Paul, Thursday, 9 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Kris and Mark are correct; it's the sound of glinting diamonds.

― Dan Perry, Thursday, 9 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Don't know about anyone else, but every time I come around the city, bling bling. The way I see it, the problem with words like this is that a great deal of people are using them without knowing what they mean. Yo!

― Greg, Thursday, 9 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Although obviously it's the way someline like Missy distorts these sorts of words as if she knows but doesn't care how they're supposed to be used that makes the whole thing so much fun.

On a tangential note - "My Love Don't Cost A Thing" was CLASSIC for introducing "floss" to a whole new market, resulting in everyone asking what J Lo's teeth had to do with it. Admittedly, otherwise dud.

― Tim, Thursday, 9 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yo, when I'm bling-blinging (pronounced buh-ling)I got my ice and platinum baby. No shucking just flossin'.

― Lindsey B, Saturday, 11 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

To think I work in the *bling*bling* jewellery business and didn't get it. Thank that non-existant god for message boards!

― nathalie (nathalie), Saturday, 11 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

two months pass...

When you've got an Iced out chain, watch, bracelet and it sparckles that is the Bling, the look of Ice. $*Bling*$ in your Face piece! Bla! Just like that. ;)

― Ross., Sunday, 28 October 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

three months pass...

Bling Bling - Hip, thats cool, or it just means a good greeting. Like for example, someone walks up to you and says "Bling-Bling" you'd just say hey or whats up. It's been going around for quite a while.

― Duke, Friday, 8 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

two weeks pass...

wait a minute!! now whats "floss"?? apart from dental floss?

― farrah, Monday, 25 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"to floss" = "to show off expensive stuff, like jewelry (BLING!)"

― Dan Perry, Monday, 25 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

one month passes...

Listen, if I want to floss - I got my own.

― jay dott, Saturday, 13 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

bling is so 99, its like saying booyaka

i think bling might be irony-proof also

― bc, Sunday, 14 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

one year passes...

I never use 'bling' anymore, although I still say 'blinged up' occasionally. I probably shouldn't.

― MarkH (MarkH), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 17:11 (twenty-two years ago)

It's hard to see you as the target consumer for the bling ethos, Mr H.

― Markelby (Mark C), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 17:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Slang is always at its best when played out. Hence 'booyacka' needs reviving. I'm a bit tired of 'bling,' but it'll be classic in a year or two. 'Lost in Translation' slags 'hella,' so that's immediately classic.

― Enrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 17:30 (twenty-two years ago)

I thought flossing was wearing a thong.

― R t V (Jake Proudlock), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 22:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Sometimes it is.

Don't ask me how I know.

― luna (luna.c), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 22:03 (twenty-two years ago)

This thread should be moved to "I Love Comedians"

― dean! (deangulberry), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 22:06 (twenty-two years ago)

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