dick-measuring contest
1
9.9
- noun
- /dɪkˈmɛʒərɪŋ ˈkɒntɛst/
- NSFW
:
competencia de egos
- During the meeting, it felt less like collaboration and more like a dick-measuring contest among the team leads.
Examples
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The debate quickly devolved into a dick-measuring contest, with each participant trying to one-up the other.
-
Oh, because some tedious concern wanker has strolled in with a credential dick-measuring contest.
Blog text (14) -
Their disagreement escalated into a dick-measuring contest, showcasing their egos rather than any real issues.
Synonyms
396
2.3
An event where people or teams compete to win
19
3.2
A competition where people win by being liked, not by ability
4
5.8
A short angry argument where people try to gain an advantage
4
7.9
Trying to show you are better than someone by bragging
1
7.5
A public argument where people attack each other's ideas
A very angry, petty argument with personal insults
Antonyms
How Competitive
- NSFW
1
9.9
4
7.9
Surface Forms
Morphology
dick-measuring + contest
The phrase builds on a visible metaphor — literal 'measuring' of a 'dick' is extended to comparing masculinity/status, and 'contest' signals a competition — so there is a detectable compositional link to the intended meaning of one-upmanship. However, the expression relies on vulgar slang and a cultural/pragmatic inference (boasting, petty rivalry) that a B1 learner who only knows the literal words may not predict or may misunderstand, making the meaning only partly transparent.
Etymology
The slang dick-measuring contest comes from the image of men literally measuring their dick to see who is biggest. That's why it now describes a pointless competition where people 'try to prove they are superior' by bragging.