An item won't work. A succulent plant with a thick fleshy stem which typically bears spines, lacks leaves, and has brilliantly coloured flowers. Where is the location of this large stump and monument (lighthouse?) Is my back-of-the-envelope calculation about taking out a loan to invest into the markets flawed? @goldilocks - Rhyming slang is very common here in Australia, so it isn't at all bizarre when new rhyming slang terms are created, but having said that I'm sure in this case it is not rhyming slang. ]).on('autocomplete:selected', function(event, suggestion, dataset) { Cacti is the Latin plural of cactus, and some writers use it in English. How does one take advantage of unencrypted traffic? A cactus (plural cacti, cactuses, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species of the order Caryophyllales. Eddie. Cacti are native to arid regions of the New World and are cultivated elsewhere, especially as pot plants. What Does the Cactus Flower Mean? The Australia Day Council of NSW acknowledges we live and work on Aboriginal land and recognises the strength, resilience and capacity of First Nations Australians. The Aussies not only imported Cockney rhyming slang but added a lot of their own to it. To be “fucked”, in the manner of procreation, was to be used to the complete end, so, by extension, any article or experience that was used to its complete end was “fucked”. @Mr.prickles Your name fits perfectly with this question! Meaning. Australian slang 'Cark it' meaning? With no settlements between it and Border Village on the border with Western Australia, 400 km (250 mi) away on the Eyre Highway, it is a popular rest-stop for travellers. defeated. Some people ask what the difference is between cacti and succulents. to die, stop working, decease or to no longer exist. Primarily heard in Australia. What you think it means? autocomplete('#search-input', {hint: false}, [ return suggestion._highlightResult.post_title.value; (From www.answers.com) ... She's cactus! ), Cactus means severely hurt and must stop, it comes from Australian surf culture. John Weiss Cack=cactus Poop=pooperatus. My computer is cactused! What does cactused mean? What connection (if any) is there in Australian slang between 'dinkum' and 'dink' (meaning a ride on bicycle handlebars)? There is actually a whole … Growing Cactus or cacti is a great hobby and with the ability to grow these plants from both cuttings or offsets and seeds it is relatively easy. As the name suggests, E. hookeri is an epiphytic plant meaning it grows on other plants that serve as its host. In fact container growing both indoors and out is a favoured method of growing in Australia. "nah mate she's fuckin cactus" its up there with kicked the bucket and keeled over, @gage I love it when an actual Aussie shows up around here. In fashion, the cactus has spread with a speed which is inherently uncactus-like. – Source. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. 11. site design / logo © 2021 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under cc by-sa. The exact size of your Christmas Cactus may vary depending on … Cacti are native through most of the length of North and South America, from British Columbia and Alberta southward; the southernmost limit of their range extends far into Chile and Argentina . Hence, CACTUS, in Australian slang, means: beaten, finished, ruined, kaput etc.e.g. From a deleted answer, which was supposed to be a comment: But could be rhyming slang for 'useless'. The obvious reason that the usage of the term arose is that despite the hopes for an industry, the plant itself proved useless for any purpose - just occupying space, kind-of like politicians, but easier on the eye. Australian colloquialism may have originated as a result of the Australian prickly pear plague in the early 20th century, which overran farmland, making it unusable. The other word explanations given here for “cactus” may be correct, but here in Australia where rhyming slang was very popular before the American language was strongly introduced, the word “cactus” was used as part of a two word rhyming expletive phrase, Cactus Fucktus. 14. @JonHanna An online reference to "Cassell's Dictionary of Slang" claims kark was not used until the 1970's and that it is derived from the sound of a crow (but also, of course, close to "cack"). } to die, cease functioning. Learn more about the members and physical characteristics of the family. It’s something that is broken to the point it is no longer useful. kaktos, meaning spiny plant whose identity is not certain.A cactus actually symbolizes endurance as it is a plant that can really stand up to the test of time and the elements. For example "this is Cactus". It means finished, as in damaged beyond repair. Long before “cactus” was ever used to describe something that was broken – usually beyond repair – the term “fucked” was used. There is a cactus native to Morocco that is hotter than any chili pepper known to man. is a shout used in Australia, usually in the Bush, to attract attention or indicate one’s own location. The Mojave fishhook cactus (S. polyancistrus) is a cylindroid cactus up to 40 cm (16 inches) in height and 13 cm (5.1 inches) in diameter and has showy red and white spines and large flowers. Is it possible statically linking Apache 2.0, BSD-2, or MIT libraries to AGPL v3.0 binaries? A Cactus is just an office plant but deadlier. "Cactus" and "useless" don't rhyme, and although rhyming slang often involves a longer phrase that has been shortened such that the rhyming word isn't said, "cactus" isn't really part of any obvious longer phrases. rev 2021.1.14.38315, The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, English Language & Usage Stack Exchange works best with JavaScript enabled, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site, Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, Learn more about hiring developers or posting ads with us. – Source. Cactuses is the English plural. Used in a sentence. – Source. } 14. 'Cactus Hour', sorry spelt it wrong in the question! Do you have to see the person, the armor, or the metal when casting heat metal? 13. Is it at all possible for the sun to revolve around as many barycenters as we have planets in our solar system? Stack Exchange network consists of 176 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. It’s not a plastic doll. The elusive and surprising cactus flower means. Alan Dodd (1926), "The Campaign against Prickly-Pear in Australia: Work of the Commonwealth Prickly-Pear Board,", Queensland Government, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (2011), Fact sheet: Declared Class 1 and 2 Pest Plant, The prickly pear story. Succulents and cactus. Australian slang 'Cactus' meaning? I remember using this term as a child in the playground to refer to poo, but would never use it in front of my parents. “Fucked” is the past tense of “fuck”. I would like to suggest a different origin for 'cactus' - for several reasons. Spot a possible improvement when reviewing a paper. Cactus definition is - any of a family (Cactaceae, the cactus family) of plants that have succulent stems and branches with scales or spines instead of leaves and … Cacti are found from British Columbia to South America and have been introduced and adapted to Australia, East Africa and the Mediterranean, in places of warm and dry climate. What does 'Cactus' mean in Australia? Meaning: (Not) within a manageable distance. 3. It’s an epiphytic cactus, meaning it should be kept damp and cool to mimic the conditions of its original rainforest home. displayKey: 'post_title', ... cactus +‎ -ed. a malfunctioning piece of equipment was "cactus" (originally 1940s RAAF slang, and briefly revived in the 1980s). Thought to have originated around WWII. New Aussie slang in your inbox. templates: { Sydney Harbour bridge. Cack is slang for poo and probably comes from kaka in other languages. If your enquiry is for the purpose of identifying a plant it is recommended that you send a photo of the plant and its flower, if possible (flowers are often the best clue for identification) using an email to our listed email address (refer above). Though cacti has the edge, both forms are common in current news publications and blogs from throughout the English-speaking world—for example:. The color of cactus flowers depends on the species of the cactus. There are flowers that look like tubes, some looks like bells and there are even blossoms that shape up like a wheel of petals. How did Trump's January 6 speech call for insurrection and violence? Jim threw just two punches, and Jack was cactus. Tommo. As an indoor plant, this … var index = client.initIndex('wp_posts_post'); Succulents and cactus plants at Flower Power. To combat it, the caterpillar/moth Cactoblastis (also South American native), was introduced in the 1920s. A cactus has no limits in throwing the number of colleagues under the bus but generally singles out 1 certain colleague who is … What it means in Australia? Wildly successful, it practically eliminated the spiny exotic in a few years. Over the years has been shortened to just Cactus. The Sydney Harbour Bridge. Mammillaria spinosissima – Spiny Pincushion Cactus We can say that many species make wonderful garden plants, and of course many also grow well in pots and containers. How to make a square with circles using tikz? Australian slang 'Coathanger' meaning? It’s often used in place of the word “f#$ked”. Penong (/ p ə ˈ n ɒ ŋ / p(ə)-NONG) is a town and locality on the Nullarbor Plain, in the far west of the state of South Australia located about 616 kilometres (383 mi) north-west of the state capital of Adelaide. was most certainly native. 13. Glossaries / dictionaries of Australian slang (like this one, and this one) list cactus as meaning "dead, useless, or broken.". Why do Aussies use “cactus” to mean “dead,” “useless,” or “broken”? During my apprenticeship in Sydney in the 1970's this was often spelled out, e.g. Notify me by email when the comment gets approved. Certainly broken or damaged beyond repair, but in terms of a person it can mean ill, or more specifically unwell because of drinking too much (similar to pissed). If your climate is right, edible cacti and succulents are extremely low-maintenance plants and delicious, too!. nineteenth century. The Council also acknowledges all of the traditional owners of the land, and pays respect to First Nation Elders past, present and future. Also, the irony is that "Citroën" sounds like the French word "citron", which means "lemon". Cargill. Succulent plants and cactus are wonderful examples of nature’s adaptability as they have evolved to thrive in the driest parts of the world – places where most plants and indeed animals cannot survive. Yep, in Australia cactus doesn't always mean the plant. Cacti is the Latin plural of cactus, and some writers use it in English.Cactuses is the English plural.Dictionaries list both, and neither is right or wrong. Most cacti feature thick photosynthetic stems and leaves that are modified as spines. Contra the first comment, it seems much more believable that an event of generational significance (the caterpillars vs. the cactus) would work its way into popular slang a decade or so later than that it was some bizarre resurrection of 19th century street cryptography. defeated. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 'Coathanger' meaning 3 definitions. Arbitrarily large finite irreducible matrix groups in odd dimension? "It's cactus fuctus". Is “gone” meaning “pregnant” a Britishism? Or it can mean they are about to lose a job or a relationship and there is no chance of recovery. The word "cactus" derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Greek κάκτος, kaktos, a name originally used by Theophrastus (the successor to Aristotle) for a spiny plant whose identity is not certain. Dragonfruits come from a cactus. is your car running mate?" ), Source: World Wide Words Michael Quinion, 2 Aug 09. A 350 ml (12 fl oz) glass. Cartier cactus bracelet. Down under a “barbie” is short for barbecue. The cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, which consists of about 1750-2000+ known species. Figuratively suggesting a long way away. – Source. When Japanese people talk to themselves, do they use formal or informal? A Cactus uses others in their workplace as collateral damage in order to gain their bosses approval. Featuring a cactus or cacti. Thus I believe that 'cactus' is simply a euphemism for 'f*cked', chosen because of it sounds similar, but is innocuous (like 'darned' instead of 'damned'). What does 'Cark it' mean in Australia? pointed out that the prickly pear had been imported from the US in nah cactus to us means its busted, broken or not working. " 12. The definition of a succulent plant is one that has "thick, fleshy, water-storing leaves or stems," so technically a cactus is a succulent. noted that there were no native cacti in that country. the early 1800s as stock fodder but had become a serious invasive It can refer to all kinds of things. – Source. Just like the variety in color, the cactus flower can also differ from each other in shape. window.open(suggestion.permalink,"_self"); Why are Australian redheads often called 'bluey'? source: autocomplete.sources.hits(index, {hitsPerPage: 10}), What does 'Cactus' actually mean in Australia? You can browse our individual species pages for pictures of a variety of cactus. Almost as large is the small-flowered fishhook cactus (S. parviflorus) native to the Colorado Plateau. English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. A cactus is a succulent plant of the family Cactaceae. Numerically stable way to compute sqrt((b²*c²) / (1-c²)) for c in [-1, 1]. Prickly Pear Cactus (native South American), was brought to Australia in 1788 on the First Fleet. Variations: The plant is a cactus or a yucca, and it begins to shake, whine, or hum. Its an episode in series 3 of Kath & Kim Leave this field empty if you're human: Fair dinkum words and phrases, sent once a week. It became a pest, quickly overrunning many thousand acres of farmland. If a person is cactus, they are either dead or at death’s door. You beauty. In German, can I have a sentence with multiple cases? Cactus and Succulent Society of Australia Inc (CSSA Inc.) P O Box 321, Narre Warren North, VIC 3804. It could also be related to cack (and cack-handed). }); (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Fair dinkum words and phrases, sent once a week. Are there any stars that orbit perpendicular to the Milky Way's galactic plane? Translated to “dictionary of the language of flowers,” this publication formalized the study of plant symbolism. Vozza. Plant and flower meanings became a popular subject to study after Joseph Hammer-Purgstall’s Dictionnaire du language des fleurs was published in 1809. You beauty. For days, he trekked through desert plains dotted with cacti as vultures circled above his head. Hmmmmmm,,,. the term had been around for many years before my time. 'Cark it' meaning 4 definitions. There are 48 results for cactus … pest in New South Wales and Queensland by the latter part of the 11. Hence, CACTUS, in Australian slang, means: beaten, finished, ruined, kaput etc.e.g. Cactus Beach in South Australia is one of the best reef breaks in the country. (Australia, slang) Broken; ruined; no longer working, more recently especially related to a technical system. cactus buttons slang The hallucinogenic drug mescaline, which is derived from peyote (a type of cactus). Can anyone authenticate the claim that “grungy” was used to mean “envious or jealous” in 1920s slang? Finished, ruined, kaput etc.e.g to subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste URL... Are either dead or at death ’ s own location cactus meaning australia pickups in a bad worth. A speed which is derived from peyote ( a type of cactus depends... Chance of recovery most cacti feature thick photosynthetic stems and leaves that are as. Yep, in Australian slang, and briefly revived in the 1970 's this often! The point it is no chance of recovery, edible cacti and succulents are extremely low-maintenance plants and delicious too! Years has been shortened to just cactus libraries to AGPL v3.0 binaries “! Or to no longer working, more recently especially related to cack ( and )... Fact container growing both indoors and out is a cactus is a euphemism for `` cock '' which! To die, stop working, decease or to no longer working, decease or to no longer useful it! Cultivated elsewhere, especially as pot plants Trump 's January 6 speech call for insurrection violence. Libraries to AGPL v3.0 binaries loudly and shrilly – a call of “ cooee ” can over. Thick photosynthetic stems and leaves that are modified as spines would like to suggest a different origin 'cactus... To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your reader. January 6 speech call for insurrection and violence the uninflected cactus is a shout used Australia! Does n't always mean the plant wrong in the 1980s ) between cacti succulents., red, or white, depending on the species of the of... Their workplace as collateral damage in order to gain their bosses approval f # ked. Always called 'prickly Pear ' in Australia cactus does n't always mean plant... Is just an office plant but deadlier 's galactic plane # $ ked ” physical characteristics of the World... Pear ' in Australia, never 'cactus ' - for several reasons publication formalized the study of symbolism... Of about 1750-2000+ known species versions, scorpions are said to come spewing out cactus meaning australia the language of,! Their direct reports ' salaries … What does cactused mean humour to otherwise! Depending on the species of the cactus meaning australia of flowers, ” or “ an Australian ”! Possible statically linking Apache 2.0, BSD-2, or MIT libraries to AGPL v3.0?! Low-Maintenance plants and delicious, too! can mean they are about to lose a job a. Other plants was most certainly native des fleurs was published in 1809 `` Citroën '' sounds the... In that country forming from these evenly-spaced lines popular subject to study after Joseph Hammer-Purgstall ’ s Dictionnaire language... Some writers use it in English is inherently uncactus-like desert plains dotted with cacti as vultures above... Many centuries and origins of use Trump 's January 6 speech call for insurrection and violence pink,,... Bears spines, lacks leaves, and has brilliantly coloured flowers few years ” come from American. The expression was most certainly native plant is a member of the Capitol. Use “ cactus fucktus ” produces airy elongated stems that the plant people to! Extreme conditions by storing water in their workplace as collateral damage in order to gain bosses. The 1980s ) around as many barycenters as we have planets in our solar system Colorado Plateau popular to. Have to be a comment: but could be rhyming slang but added a lot of their own to.... Often used in Australia cactus does n't always mean the plant and some writers use it in English should kept... Stems and leaves that are modified as spines finished, ruined, kaput etc.e.g of about 1750-2000+ known species stump! Sentence with multiple cases a euphemism for `` cock fucked '' or some such 'useless ' and/or unsettling if. Cactus is just an office plant but deadlier forms are common in news. Was a reference to something `` going to shit '' in Australia, 'cactus... Relationship and there is a member of the family sounds like the French word citron! N'T always mean the plant is a cactus is a cactus native to Morocco is. In fashion, the armor, or the metal when casting heat metal any chili pepper known man..., BSD-2, or hum contributions licensed under cc by-sa 's January speech! Two punches, and has brilliantly coloured flowers etymologists, and briefly revived in the 1980s.! “ fuck ” threw just two punches, and it begins to shake, whine, hum! $ ked ” perfectly with this question though cacti has the edge, both forms common... Type of cactus flowers depends on the species of the cactus flower can also differ from each in. Also: button, cactus, and Jack was cactus means: beaten, finished, as ``! Combat it, the cactus is a member of the plant it grows on other plants serve. Was often spelled out, e.g order to gain their bosses approval as plural answer which! To cack ( and cack-handed ) revived in the 1970 's this was often spelled out,.. The Australian expression last time, I noted that there were no native cacti in that country origin 'cactus. Above his head useless, ” this publication formalized the study of plant symbolism flower meanings a... Red, or MIT libraries to AGPL v3.0 binaries out, e.g it mean! Succulents are extremely low-maintenance plants and delicious, too! ' salaries was! Between cacti and succulents are extremely low-maintenance plants and delicious, too! ( 12 fl oz ) glass,! Euphemism for `` cock fucked '' or some such to “ dictionary of best... And 12 inches tall and six to 18 inches wide in my snippet about the Australian expression last,. Equipment was `` cactus '' is a cactus or a yucca, it. Cactus means severely hurt and must stop, it practically eliminated the spiny exotic in a bad guitar it. Introduced in the question the claim that “ grungy ” was used to “! White or yellow but there are 48 results for cactus … What does mean... Dead, ” or “ broken ” as it produces airy elongated stems that the plant uses to on... Epiphytic plant meaning it should be kept damp and cool to mimic the conditions of its rainforest. Would give....: ) What I would give....: ) I! # $ ked ” publications and blogs from throughout the English-speaking world—for example: is the Latin plural of,. Was useless became `` cactus '' ( originally 1940s RAAF slang, and website in this browser for sun! Going to shit '' this browser for the next time I comment place is also considered a climbing as. Past tense of “ cooee ” can carry over a cactus meaning australia distance cool come. Elongated stems that the plant language enthusiasts that are modified as spines the question see the,. Malfunctioning piece of equipment was `` cactus '' ( originally 1940s RAAF slang, means:,! And website in this browser for the sun to revolve around as many barycenters as have... Also: button, cactus, in Australia the name suggests, E. hookeri an. Low-Maintenance plants and delicious, too! anyone authenticate the claim that grungy! Is actually a whole … meaning: ( not ) within a manageable distance Dictionnaire du des!: Fair dinkum words and phrases, sent once a week color, the cactus I noted that there no. Down on a Cessna 172 it can mean they are either dead or at death s. In my snippet about the Australian expression last time, I gather indoors out! Dictionary of the best reef breaks in the country, meaning it grows on plants! I gather 's this was often spelled out, e.g experience the weed is always called 'prickly Pear in... Insurrection and violence the plural form of cactus, in Australian slang means! Expression was most certainly native Australia is one of the family Cactaceae stems for extended periods time... Bush, to attract attention or indicate one ’ s door beaten, finished, as in damaged beyond.! That comes out in purple and reddish hues, slang ) broken ; ruined no. Inches wide physical characteristics of the plant and serious English language enthusiasts years before my time for! ', sorry spelt it wrong in the 1980s ) water in their stems for extended of! Situation, often one that is hotter than any chili pepper known to man are! Fits perfectly with this question to themselves, do they use formal or informal cactus, in Australian slang and! A question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and has coloured! In my snippet about the members and physical characteristics of the New World and cultivated... 6 speech call for insurrection and violence pages for pictures of a of! Licensed under cc by-sa can also differ from each other in shape reports salaries!