sod
sod Lexical Profile
sod Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The surface of the ground, with the grass growing on it, or a rectangular section of grass-covered soil held together by matted roots.
"The landscapers rolled out fresh sod across the bare dirt in the front yard."
British An unpleasant, obnoxious, or contemptible person, or someone regarded with pity or affectionate exasperation (informal slang).
"That poor sod has been working overtime in the pouring rain all week."
• verb
To cover a plot of ground or soil with pre-grown turf or grass.
"After grading the new athletic field, the crew sodded the entire area before the spring rains arrived."
British To express anger, dismissal, or contempt toward someone or something (used in the imperative as mild vulgar slang).
"Sod the paperwork for tonight; let us head home and finish it tomorrow morning."
Word Nuance & Usage
In standard usage (especially in North America), 'sod' is a neutral agricultural and landscaping term for turf, whereas in British and Commonwealth English, 'sod' is also a mildly vulgar slang term used as an insult or exclamation of annoyance.
• Rhymes for sod
Word Origin & Etymology
The agricultural sense originates from Middle English 'sodde', borrowed from Middle Low German or Middle Dutch 'sode' (meaning turf or peat). The British slang sense arose in the 19th century as a shortened clipping of 'sodomite'.