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Glite Dictionary
to get the shitty stick

to get the shitty stick

9.9
To be given unfair, unpleasant tasks or treatment
  • idiom
  • Offensive
translation icon : comerse la mierda
  • It's unfair that she always gets the shitty stick while others do nothing.

Examples

  • He got the shitty stick when they assigned him all the unpleasant tasks again.

  • I always get the shitty stick at work because my boss gives me all the hardest projects.

  • Every time promotions come around, I feel like I get the shitty stick.

  • Don't you always get the shitty stick in this group?

  • After the last meeting, I really got the shitty stick again.

  • When it comes to team assignments, I feel like I get the shitty stick while everyone else gets easier tasks.

  • Whenever there is a difficult decision to make, it seems like I get the shitty stick and have to deal with the fallout.

Synonyms

to get it
vsto get the shitty stick
  • Informal
113 8.2

To be punished or scolded for something you did

refers to suffering from an unfair or unpleasant decision, not deserved punishment
to shaft
vsto get the shitty stick
  • Informal
11 7.7

To treat someone unfairly or cheat them

is about being the one harmed by an unfair or unpleasant decision
to draw the short end of the stick
vsto get the shitty stick
  • Informal
8.2

To end up by chance with an unpleasant task or in a worse position

usually means suffering because of an unfair or bad decision rather than by chance

Antonyms

fair
∞ 1.0

Treating people equally and honestly

favored
  • US
3.7

A person who gets better treatment and more benefits than others

How Unlucky

short end of the stick
  • Informal
8 7.1
to get the shitty stick
  • Offensive
9.9
raw deal
  • Informal
13 4.4

Surface Forms

get the shitty stick infinitive
getting the shitty stick present participle
gets the shitty stick third person singular
got the shitty stick past
got the shitty stick past participle

Morphology

get + the + shitty + stick

The parts 'get' (to receive) and 'shitty' (very bad) transparently signal receiving something negative, and 'stick' can metaphorically mean an unpleasant duty or burden. However, the exact idiomatic sense relies on a figurative mapping (related to 'get the short end of the stick' / 'get the shitty end of the stick') and colloquial usage, so the meaning is inferable but not fully predictable without prior exposure.

Etymology

Get the shitty stick may come from the old idea of drawing sticks to choose a job: the person who got the dirty or bad stick had to do the worst, messiest task. That's why it now means 'to receive unfair or unpleasant treatment'.