Slang dictionary
this guy
[th is gahy]
What does this guy mean?
Who’s got two thumbs and just dropped their cell phone in the toilet? This guy. This guy is an expression used to highlight when someone has done something stupid or unbelievable. It’s often used to reference oneself.
Where does this guy come from?
Guy, as general term for a “man,” emerges in the mid-1800s. The phrase this guy, of course, saw subsequent use in all sorts of natural contexts. By the 1930s, this guy was being used as a colloquial way to identify people that were causing trouble or needed some dealing with, later associated with a type of tough-guy, Mafia talk.
When the this guy punchline emerges is unclear, but may have been influenced by a similar joke, get a load of this guy, used to point out people doing something ridiculous. This joke was notably featured in the 1992 film Wayne’s World, where the characters have a Get A Load Of This Cam on their show.
This guy is often part of a two thumbs joke. An example best illustrates the construction: Who has two thumbs and just got a new job? Here, the person who point to their thumbs to themselves and says This guy. It can be used positively but it’s often self-deprecating. Who has two thumbs and just got fired? This guy. This joke appears on sitcom That ’70s Show in 1999: “Boy I sure do like brownies, Hey you know whats got two thumbs and really likes brownies? This guy.”
Whose got two thumbs, two straps, and a twitch channel? This guy. | stream schedule: 915am est, 3pm est MUSIC! | https://t.co/YgoiEcsxT0 | photo by @KevinWilsonNYC pic.twitter.com/dQ1OgQr56k
— Matthew kiichichaos Heafy (@matthewkheafy) September 21, 2018
Examples of this guy
What's 7-foot-8, English, and Has Two Thumbs? This Guy
Who uses this guy?
Get a load of this guy is often used to taunt someone seen as stupid, ridiculous, or, occasionally, striking in some way.
Outside of the often self-deprecating or deliberately cheesy two-thumbs this guy joke, this guy can be used to highlight something impressive.
First half summary:
THIS GUY 😎 pic.twitter.com/4eeieSsgnr
— Chelsea FC USA (@ChelseaFCinUSA) September 15, 2018
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of this guy like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of this guy that will help our users expand their word mastery.