boob tube

English

Etymology

boob +‎ tube

(television): An allusion to the idiocy of television programming and the supposed audience for such (boobs) and that televisions of the era used cathode ray tube (CRT) vacuum tube displays
(clothing): From it being a tube-like garment that covers the breasts (boobs) of a woman

Noun

boob tube (plural boob tubes)

(US, informal) television
(Britain, informal) A type of woman's upper body garment consisting of a taut band of cloth around the breasts and back.
- 2015, Oscar Phoenix, This Hostage to Fortune:
  At the same time, Tara puts her arms into her boob tube.

Usage notes

The word used as a synonym for television was heard as early as 1965 on an episode of The Munsters. It was probably being used before that time.

Synonyms

(garment): tube top (US)
(television): idiot box (boob = idiot)

Translations

slightly derogative term for television

Finnish: töllötin (fi)
French: téloche (fr) f
German: Glotze (de) f

Greek: χαζοκούτι (el) n (chazokoúti)
Russian: я́щик (ru) m (jáščik)
Spanish: caja idiota f, caja tonta (es)

women's garment

Swedish: tubtopp c

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