A gift that you give to someone that is actually more a gift to yourself?
up vote
19
down vote
favorite
Is there a word that describes a gift that you give to someone that is actually more a gift to yourself?
For example, gifting your partner tickets to a show for an artist that you like more than they do. Or gifting your kid a smartphone so that you can get a hold of them or keep track of them as you wish.
single-word-requests expressions
edited Dec 9 '16 at 21:33
mbomb007
408313
asked Dec 9 '16 at 18:29
user69288
9614
|
show 3 more comments
up vote
19
down vote
favorite
Is there a word that describes a gift that you give to someone that is actually more a gift to yourself?
For example, gifting your partner tickets to a show for an artist that you like more than they do. Or gifting your kid a smartphone so that you can get a hold of them or keep track of them as you wish.
single-word-requests expressions
edited Dec 9 '16 at 21:33
mbomb007
408313
asked Dec 9 '16 at 18:29
user69288
9614
1
On a spectrum of meaning with Trojan horses?
– Dan
Dec 9 '16 at 18:34
6
Or like when Homer buys Marge a bowling ball for her birthday?!
– MrWhite
Dec 9 '16 at 21:26
Sounds exactly like my habit of taking along a very good bottle of wine to someone's dinner party. I get to taste it if my cunning plan works out.
– Peter Point
Dec 9 '16 at 21:51
4
Or a gift of sexy lingerie for your partner ?
– k1eran
Dec 10 '16 at 0:11
4
I'm interested to see if anyone has a pithy phrase or clever slang term for this. I generally describe it as "he got me just what he always wanted" but a really pointed adjective or noun would be very handy.
– 1006a
Dec 10 '16 at 1:07
|
show 3 more comments
up vote
19
down vote
favorite
up vote
19
down vote
favorite
Is there a word that describes a gift that you give to someone that is actually more a gift to yourself?
For example, gifting your partner tickets to a show for an artist that you like more than they do. Or gifting your kid a smartphone so that you can get a hold of them or keep track of them as you wish.
single-word-requests expressions
edited Dec 9 '16 at 21:33
mbomb007
408313
asked Dec 9 '16 at 18:29
user69288
9614
Is there a word that describes a gift that you give to someone that is actually more a gift to yourself?
For example, gifting your partner tickets to a show for an artist that you like more than they do. Or gifting your kid a smartphone so that you can get a hold of them or keep track of them as you wish.
single-word-requests expressions
single-word-requests expressions
edited Dec 9 '16 at 21:33
mbomb007
408313
asked Dec 9 '16 at 18:29
user69288
9614
edited Dec 9 '16 at 21:33
mbomb007
408313
asked Dec 9 '16 at 18:29
user69288
9614
edited Dec 9 '16 at 21:33
mbomb007
408313
edited Dec 9 '16 at 21:33
mbomb007
408313
edited Dec 9 '16 at 21:33
mbomb007
408313
408313
asked Dec 9 '16 at 18:29
user69288
9614
asked Dec 9 '16 at 18:29
user69288
9614
asked Dec 9 '16 at 18:29
user69288
9614
9614
1
On a spectrum of meaning with Trojan horses?
– Dan
Dec 9 '16 at 18:34
6
Or like when Homer buys Marge a bowling ball for her birthday?!
– MrWhite
Dec 9 '16 at 21:26
Sounds exactly like my habit of taking along a very good bottle of wine to someone's dinner party. I get to taste it if my cunning plan works out.
– Peter Point
Dec 9 '16 at 21:51
4
Or a gift of sexy lingerie for your partner ?
– k1eran
Dec 10 '16 at 0:11
4
I'm interested to see if anyone has a pithy phrase or clever slang term for this. I generally describe it as "he got me just what he always wanted" but a really pointed adjective or noun would be very handy.
– 1006a
Dec 10 '16 at 1:07
|
show 3 more comments
1
On a spectrum of meaning with Trojan horses?
– Dan
Dec 9 '16 at 18:34
6
Or like when Homer buys Marge a bowling ball for her birthday?!
– MrWhite
Dec 9 '16 at 21:26
Sounds exactly like my habit of taking along a very good bottle of wine to someone's dinner party. I get to taste it if my cunning plan works out.
– Peter Point
Dec 9 '16 at 21:51
4
Or a gift of sexy lingerie for your partner ?
– k1eran
Dec 10 '16 at 0:11
4
I'm interested to see if anyone has a pithy phrase or clever slang term for this. I generally describe it as "he got me just what he always wanted" but a really pointed adjective or noun would be very handy.
– 1006a
Dec 10 '16 at 1:07
1
1
On a spectrum of meaning with Trojan horses?
– Dan
Dec 9 '16 at 18:34
On a spectrum of meaning with Trojan horses?
– Dan
Dec 9 '16 at 18:34
6
6
Or like when Homer buys Marge a bowling ball for her birthday?!
– MrWhite
Dec 9 '16 at 21:26
Or like when Homer buys Marge a bowling ball for her birthday?!
– MrWhite
Dec 9 '16 at 21:26
Sounds exactly like my habit of taking along a very good bottle of wine to someone's dinner party. I get to taste it if my cunning plan works out.
– Peter Point
Dec 9 '16 at 21:51
Sounds exactly like my habit of taking along a very good bottle of wine to someone's dinner party. I get to taste it if my cunning plan works out.
– Peter Point
Dec 9 '16 at 21:51
4
4
Or a gift of sexy lingerie for your partner ?
– k1eran
Dec 10 '16 at 0:11
Or a gift of sexy lingerie for your partner ?
– k1eran
Dec 10 '16 at 0:11
4
4
I'm interested to see if anyone has a pithy phrase or clever slang term for this. I generally describe it as "he got me just what he always wanted" but a really pointed adjective or noun would be very handy.
– 1006a
Dec 10 '16 at 1:07
I'm interested to see if anyone has a pithy phrase or clever slang term for this. I generally describe it as "he got me just what he always wanted" but a really pointed adjective or noun would be very handy.
– 1006a
Dec 10 '16 at 1:07
|
show 3 more comments
5 Answers
5
active
oldest
votes
up vote
23
down vote
If you're willing to settle for an adjective, I would call that a self-serving gift: a gift that is intended to serve your own interests above that of the actual receiver.
Per M-w.com, self-serving is:
serving one's own interests often in disregard of the truth or the interests of others
answered Dec 9 '16 at 18:36
Hellion
52.7k13108195
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
It's not a single word (I upvoted @Hellion's answer for that), but I use the phrase
he got me just what he always wanted
or
she got me just what she was hoping for
to describe this practice, altering pronouns as appropriate. Just be very cautious about substituting in the pronoun you!
answered Dec 11 '16 at 8:23
1006a
19.8k33585
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
I don't think there is such a word. I say this because it's a pretty common phenomenon, and what people always say is a variation on the full sentence "That was really a gift for himself." (Or herself.)
answered Dec 10 '16 at 15:14
Mark Foskey
38212
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
I had a friend from New Hampshire who used to call such a gift "a truck." A child of the 1970's, she used it in my presence throughout the '90's. I've not been able to find corroborating sources for this precise usage. As this friend is no longer with us, I can only imagine where she picked it up or from where she derived it. My best guess is that it may have been related to an archaic definition of truck (see third and fourth definition at Merriam-Webster.com), "barter or exchange." As in, a gift that is less a gift than it is truck--that is, something given in exchange for the use of the so-called gift.
answered May 29 at 22:39
Mississippi dlk
11
Her usage may have originated from a personal family story. Picture a very young boy long ago giving his mother a toy truck for a holiday gift; then everyone in the family started referring to such gifts as "trucks". If it happened in a prior generation to hers, she might never have learned the backstory, and just assumed it was common usage of the word.
– John Deters
May 29 at 23:21
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
In our family we call it a "turtle". When my dad was little he wanted to buy his mom a turtle for Christmas. He promised to keep it in his room and care for it when is dad responded that surely his mother didn't want a turtle. Basically he was trying to finagle a pet for himself. Now whenever you buy anyone something that you'll get more joy out of than they will it's called a "turtle".
answered 2 hours ago
sarachicory
1
New contributor
sarachicory is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
5 Answers
5
active
oldest
votes
5 Answers
5
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
23
down vote
If you're willing to settle for an adjective, I would call that a self-serving gift: a gift that is intended to serve your own interests above that of the actual receiver.
Per M-w.com, self-serving is:
serving one's own interests often in disregard of the truth or the interests of others
answered Dec 9 '16 at 18:36
Hellion
52.7k13108195
add a comment |
up vote
23
down vote
If you're willing to settle for an adjective, I would call that a self-serving gift: a gift that is intended to serve your own interests above that of the actual receiver.
Per M-w.com, self-serving is:
serving one's own interests often in disregard of the truth or the interests of others
answered Dec 9 '16 at 18:36
Hellion
52.7k13108195
add a comment |
up vote
23
down vote
up vote
23
down vote
If you're willing to settle for an adjective, I would call that a self-serving gift: a gift that is intended to serve your own interests above that of the actual receiver.
Per M-w.com, self-serving is:
serving one's own interests often in disregard of the truth or the interests of others
answered Dec 9 '16 at 18:36
Hellion
52.7k13108195
If you're willing to settle for an adjective, I would call that a self-serving gift: a gift that is intended to serve your own interests above that of the actual receiver.
Per M-w.com, self-serving is:
serving one's own interests often in disregard of the truth or the interests of others
answered Dec 9 '16 at 18:36
Hellion
52.7k13108195
answered Dec 9 '16 at 18:36
Hellion
52.7k13108195
answered Dec 9 '16 at 18:36
Hellion
52.7k13108195
answered Dec 9 '16 at 18:36
Hellion
52.7k13108195
52.7k13108195
add a comment |
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
It's not a single word (I upvoted @Hellion's answer for that), but I use the phrase
he got me just what he always wanted
or
she got me just what she was hoping for
to describe this practice, altering pronouns as appropriate. Just be very cautious about substituting in the pronoun you!
answered Dec 11 '16 at 8:23
1006a
19.8k33585
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
It's not a single word (I upvoted @Hellion's answer for that), but I use the phrase
he got me just what he always wanted
or
she got me just what she was hoping for
to describe this practice, altering pronouns as appropriate. Just be very cautious about substituting in the pronoun you!
answered Dec 11 '16 at 8:23
1006a
19.8k33585
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
up vote
3
down vote
It's not a single word (I upvoted @Hellion's answer for that), but I use the phrase
he got me just what he always wanted
or
she got me just what she was hoping for
to describe this practice, altering pronouns as appropriate. Just be very cautious about substituting in the pronoun you!
answered Dec 11 '16 at 8:23
1006a
19.8k33585
It's not a single word (I upvoted @Hellion's answer for that), but I use the phrase
he got me just what he always wanted
or
she got me just what she was hoping for
to describe this practice, altering pronouns as appropriate. Just be very cautious about substituting in the pronoun you!
answered Dec 11 '16 at 8:23
1006a
19.8k33585
answered Dec 11 '16 at 8:23
1006a
19.8k33585
answered Dec 11 '16 at 8:23
1006a
19.8k33585
answered Dec 11 '16 at 8:23
1006a
19.8k33585
19.8k33585
add a comment |
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
I don't think there is such a word. I say this because it's a pretty common phenomenon, and what people always say is a variation on the full sentence "That was really a gift for himself." (Or herself.)
answered Dec 10 '16 at 15:14
Mark Foskey
38212
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
I don't think there is such a word. I say this because it's a pretty common phenomenon, and what people always say is a variation on the full sentence "That was really a gift for himself." (Or herself.)
answered Dec 10 '16 at 15:14
Mark Foskey
38212
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
I don't think there is such a word. I say this because it's a pretty common phenomenon, and what people always say is a variation on the full sentence "That was really a gift for himself." (Or herself.)
answered Dec 10 '16 at 15:14
Mark Foskey
38212
I don't think there is such a word. I say this because it's a pretty common phenomenon, and what people always say is a variation on the full sentence "That was really a gift for himself." (Or herself.)
answered Dec 10 '16 at 15:14
Mark Foskey
38212
answered Dec 10 '16 at 15:14
Mark Foskey
38212
answered Dec 10 '16 at 15:14
Mark Foskey
38212
answered Dec 10 '16 at 15:14
Mark Foskey
38212
38212
add a comment |
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
I had a friend from New Hampshire who used to call such a gift "a truck." A child of the 1970's, she used it in my presence throughout the '90's. I've not been able to find corroborating sources for this precise usage. As this friend is no longer with us, I can only imagine where she picked it up or from where she derived it. My best guess is that it may have been related to an archaic definition of truck (see third and fourth definition at Merriam-Webster.com), "barter or exchange." As in, a gift that is less a gift than it is truck--that is, something given in exchange for the use of the so-called gift.
answered May 29 at 22:39
Mississippi dlk
11
Her usage may have originated from a personal family story. Picture a very young boy long ago giving his mother a toy truck for a holiday gift; then everyone in the family started referring to such gifts as "trucks". If it happened in a prior generation to hers, she might never have learned the backstory, and just assumed it was common usage of the word.
– John Deters
May 29 at 23:21
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
I had a friend from New Hampshire who used to call such a gift "a truck." A child of the 1970's, she used it in my presence throughout the '90's. I've not been able to find corroborating sources for this precise usage. As this friend is no longer with us, I can only imagine where she picked it up or from where she derived it. My best guess is that it may have been related to an archaic definition of truck (see third and fourth definition at Merriam-Webster.com), "barter or exchange." As in, a gift that is less a gift than it is truck--that is, something given in exchange for the use of the so-called gift.
answered May 29 at 22:39
Mississippi dlk
11
Her usage may have originated from a personal family story. Picture a very young boy long ago giving his mother a toy truck for a holiday gift; then everyone in the family started referring to such gifts as "trucks". If it happened in a prior generation to hers, she might never have learned the backstory, and just assumed it was common usage of the word.
– John Deters
May 29 at 23:21
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
I had a friend from New Hampshire who used to call such a gift "a truck." A child of the 1970's, she used it in my presence throughout the '90's. I've not been able to find corroborating sources for this precise usage. As this friend is no longer with us, I can only imagine where she picked it up or from where she derived it. My best guess is that it may have been related to an archaic definition of truck (see third and fourth definition at Merriam-Webster.com), "barter or exchange." As in, a gift that is less a gift than it is truck--that is, something given in exchange for the use of the so-called gift.
answered May 29 at 22:39
Mississippi dlk
11
I had a friend from New Hampshire who used to call such a gift "a truck." A child of the 1970's, she used it in my presence throughout the '90's. I've not been able to find corroborating sources for this precise usage. As this friend is no longer with us, I can only imagine where she picked it up or from where she derived it. My best guess is that it may have been related to an archaic definition of truck (see third and fourth definition at Merriam-Webster.com), "barter or exchange." As in, a gift that is less a gift than it is truck--that is, something given in exchange for the use of the so-called gift.
answered May 29 at 22:39
Mississippi dlk
11
answered May 29 at 22:39
Mississippi dlk
11
answered May 29 at 22:39
Mississippi dlk
11
answered May 29 at 22:39
Mississippi dlk
11
11
Her usage may have originated from a personal family story. Picture a very young boy long ago giving his mother a toy truck for a holiday gift; then everyone in the family started referring to such gifts as "trucks". If it happened in a prior generation to hers, she might never have learned the backstory, and just assumed it was common usage of the word.
– John Deters
May 29 at 23:21
add a comment |
Her usage may have originated from a personal family story. Picture a very young boy long ago giving his mother a toy truck for a holiday gift; then everyone in the family started referring to such gifts as "trucks". If it happened in a prior generation to hers, she might never have learned the backstory, and just assumed it was common usage of the word.
– John Deters
May 29 at 23:21
Her usage may have originated from a personal family story. Picture a very young boy long ago giving his mother a toy truck for a holiday gift; then everyone in the family started referring to such gifts as "trucks". If it happened in a prior generation to hers, she might never have learned the backstory, and just assumed it was common usage of the word.
– John Deters
May 29 at 23:21
Her usage may have originated from a personal family story. Picture a very young boy long ago giving his mother a toy truck for a holiday gift; then everyone in the family started referring to such gifts as "trucks". If it happened in a prior generation to hers, she might never have learned the backstory, and just assumed it was common usage of the word.
– John Deters
May 29 at 23:21
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
In our family we call it a "turtle". When my dad was little he wanted to buy his mom a turtle for Christmas. He promised to keep it in his room and care for it when is dad responded that surely his mother didn't want a turtle. Basically he was trying to finagle a pet for himself. Now whenever you buy anyone something that you'll get more joy out of than they will it's called a "turtle".
answered 2 hours ago
sarachicory
1
New contributor
sarachicory is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
In our family we call it a "turtle". When my dad was little he wanted to buy his mom a turtle for Christmas. He promised to keep it in his room and care for it when is dad responded that surely his mother didn't want a turtle. Basically he was trying to finagle a pet for himself. Now whenever you buy anyone something that you'll get more joy out of than they will it's called a "turtle".
answered 2 hours ago
sarachicory
1
New contributor
sarachicory is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
In our family we call it a "turtle". When my dad was little he wanted to buy his mom a turtle for Christmas. He promised to keep it in his room and care for it when is dad responded that surely his mother didn't want a turtle. Basically he was trying to finagle a pet for himself. Now whenever you buy anyone something that you'll get more joy out of than they will it's called a "turtle".
answered 2 hours ago
sarachicory
1
New contributor
sarachicory is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
In our family we call it a "turtle". When my dad was little he wanted to buy his mom a turtle for Christmas. He promised to keep it in his room and care for it when is dad responded that surely his mother didn't want a turtle. Basically he was trying to finagle a pet for himself. Now whenever you buy anyone something that you'll get more joy out of than they will it's called a "turtle".
answered 2 hours ago
sarachicory
1
New contributor
sarachicory is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 2 hours ago
sarachicory
1
New contributor
sarachicory is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 2 hours ago
sarachicory
1
answered 2 hours ago
sarachicory
1
1
New contributor
sarachicory is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
sarachicory is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
sarachicory is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
add a comment |
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1
On a spectrum of meaning with Trojan horses?
– Dan
Dec 9 '16 at 18:34
6
Or like when Homer buys Marge a bowling ball for her birthday?!
– MrWhite
Dec 9 '16 at 21:26
Sounds exactly like my habit of taking along a very good bottle of wine to someone's dinner party. I get to taste it if my cunning plan works out.
– Peter Point
Dec 9 '16 at 21:51
4
Or a gift of sexy lingerie for your partner ?
– k1eran
Dec 10 '16 at 0:11
4
I'm interested to see if anyone has a pithy phrase or clever slang term for this. I generally describe it as "he got me just what he always wanted" but a really pointed adjective or noun would be very handy.
– 1006a
Dec 10 '16 at 1:07