Dictionary definition of “half-past-six”

half-past-six

adj. bad; shoddy, slipshod. Subjects: English, Singapore

6 Comments | Cites | Permalink | Tell a Friend

Citations: 1992 Jenny Lam Straits Times (Singapore) (July 18) “The shrimp people”: The fairer elite (those who are descended from Europeans) are known as “the upper 10.” At the other extreme are the Portuguese-Eurasians with Malaccan roots who belong to the “half-past six” or “lower-10” strata. 1997 The Edge (Singapore) (Sept. 29) “Anticipating corporatisation”: We can live with our competitors. If you provide good service, patients will come to you but if you do half-past-six jobs, you may not be so lucky. 1998 Malay Mail (Malaysia) (Oct. 13) “Duh…We have a national team again—Honest.”: More Malaysian soccer fans support any number of foreign teams, even a half-past six side like Manchester United, rather than a local team. 2003 Tan Shzr Ee Straits Times (Singapore) (Dec. 3) “SSO exec is moving on”: My Chinese is “half-past-six” and I must brush it up. 2005 Denyse Tessensohn Today (Singapore) (May 26) “Save our Shiok!”: Half-past-six: (Original Singapore coinage) Slipshod.

Posted 3 Aug 05 | Permalink | Tell a Friend

Reader comments:

You have gotta be kidding me.
This definition is.. I can’t even begin to describe it.

half-past-six is a reference to the guy’s sexual organ.

When you are half past six it means you cannot make it.

when you are the upper 10, 9:45, 3:15, you are “superior”.

If you STILL don’t get the joke, I wouldn’t know what to say.

by Chen Tse Yang 16 May 07, 0423 GMT

Well, it doesn’t mean “flaccid,” if that’s what you’re saying—at least not in the way it’s being used in the citations above.

by Grant Barrett 16 May 07, 1122 GMT

In Perth (Australia) the opposite of HPS is often referred to as ‘12 o’clock high’ Sometime HPS is intermixed with FTS- Failure To Start. the term is often used to refer to something that is a dud or useless- like a flaccid one

by mark noormets 27 Sep 07, 0856 GMT

Grant =>
It’s just an analogy, of the situation to your sexual performance.

by Chen Tse Yang 27 Sep 07, 1112 GMT

Here’s a usage from Trinidad:

Far from being a great lover, says this female-sung riposte, “he clock always readin’ half past six and he flashlight always dim”.

As quoted by bbc.co.uk http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/h i/business/7161078.stm

by Kevin Smith 09 Jan 08, 0140 GMT

Anything condesending or negative about a person, thing, idea, etc. Examples: That person is HPS (an idiot); This item is HPS (doesn’t work, is crap, etc).

by Sandringham Topper 19 Jan 08, 0238 GMT