v.
To embarrass an opponent or rival.
Example Citation:
"But against Carter — the NBA's newest poster boy and last year's dunk champion — he knows it can happen on just about any play. After all, Carter posterizes someone just about every week with his highlight-reel, above-the-rim style of play."
—Omar Kelly, "Getting 'Posterized'," Sun-Sentinel, January 24, 2001
—Omar Kelly, "Getting 'Posterized'," Sun-Sentinel, January 24, 2001
Notes:
Today's verb has been a staple of professional basketball conversations for a number of years. Its origin comes from the possibility that if a player makes a spectacular play against an opponent, a picture of that play might end up on a poster. This would provide a permanent record of the opponent's embarrassment, so he'd have been posterized.
What makes this term more than just NBA slang is that (as many sports terms do) it's making its way into the business world, as well:
The earliest print use I can find is from 1996:
|
|
Related Word:
Categories:
