Withered...

Recently, I've watched a word "catch fire" throughout the poker world.  Withered.  Another one that  is a close second and almost as rampant is "laxxed."

Got to give credit for a trend setter.  Think Blake Barousse was the first I heard use this word about a year ago.  Then I heard Ross Leitz jump on it and use it A LOT, recently everybody is saying the word.  Saw twitter this last week somebody define it for Ben Lamb and then I saw Jason Mercier use both words in reference to the Internet kids.  So Blake, good job man.  You a leader the rest of the world followers.

Withered for those who don't have a dictionary means... 1.  Tired, worn out and basically dried out.  And more recently it is used as a catchall to 2.  describe live pros and grinders.  In general, they are withered humps on a casino seat.  Maybe I fall in this category.  I hope not, but I feel and look withered a lot so probably so, especially after a 10 day Circuit stop.  I won't define laxxed, but again the meaning is not that hard to discern, and I much rather be described as laxxed then withered.

The World Series broadcast last night focused on words that are overused in poker, and though somewhat new, relative to "One Time" and "That's Poker," I feel like withered is already there.  If I may contribute to the poker lexicon, I have some ideas...


I like turgid.  It's a word that also has its origins in Lafayette, Louisiana at least in its wide spread usage.  A friend of mine and his buddies used to say it for anything bad years ago and they came from Lafayette.  Yay, Lafayette you are some trendy wordsmiths.  Turgid is also just about the opposite of withered.  By the dictionary it means waterlogged and bloated.  So if, live pros are withered Internet pros are turgid I guess.  Neither is really supposed to be compliment.  Turgid was overused too but I hope somebody brings it back at least until withered dies on the vine.

Another old one, that should be brought back is "My boner!"  People thirty or fifty years ago used to say "My bad" or "My f-up," since then it's had such a different connotation. These days I'd love for people to use it, if only for the looks of confusion.  Try saying that at a table.  "My boner!"  Obviously for full effect it has to be enthusiastically.  Preferably when laying a bad beat on somebody after getting it in really bad, "My boner!"