

“These satellites need a frozen orbit to function correctly.”įUBAR: Fuck Up Beyond All Recognition, or damaged or not working. “Make sure the two cabinets are flush with each other at the front.”įrozen orbit: The controlled orbit of an artificial satellite with minimal natural drifting, allowing it to remain stationed over the same planetary point. “Connect the junction box to the motor using a flex conduit.” “Where would you like the lighting fixture to go?”įlex: In electrical engineering, it refers to a flexible conduit or cable. “Use a better pipe fitting to prevent leaks in the pipe run.”įixture: A support device that holds something in place at a specific location. “Have the contractor field verify no conduits exist underground before excavation begins.”įile 13: To throw something away, as file 13 is a euphemism for the trash bin.įitting: Hardware that connects two parts together. “Make sure to order both male and female connectors for proper connection.”įield verify: Verifying something at the project site that can’t be confirmed in the office. This allows a connector with a plug or extended part, a male connector, to insert in. “FAT testing ensures clients receive a top-notch finished product.”įemale connector: A connector attached to a wire, cable, or hardware with one or more recessed holes. “Joe made another fat finger error in his final report.”įAT: Factory Acceptance Test – reviewing equipment at the factory for compliance before shipping. “Hand me some engineer’s ink for these design drawings.”įat finger error: A human error caused by pressing the wrong key on a calculator or keyboard. Since engineers make many mistakes, they need their own white-out. We’re hemorrhaging money.”Įngineer’s ink: White-out for correcting mistakes. “Make sure to add an extra dry contact for the compressor.”Įighty-six: To discard or abandon something. “There’s a lot of dross in these documents.”ĭry contact: A contact whose controlling source voltage comes from an external source. “What you’ve designed is just the drop in the bucket compared to the remaining work.”

“I’m tired of these dog and pony shows put on by these big corporations.”ĭrop in the bucket: A small part of a larger whole.
BIG FUNNY WORDS AND DEFINITIONS INSTALL
“First, install the deadman for the retaining wall, then proceed with the rest.”ĭog and pony show: A flashy or overhyped performance or presentation. “We need to cuss and discuss before settling on this design approach.”ĭeadman: A heavy object serving as an anchor for a wall. “Detach the coupler before investigating the piping issue.”Ĭuss and discuss: Discussing a subject in detail while welcoming opposing views. “Just chip away at the problem until you find the solution.”Ĭoupler: Hardware that connects two parts together. “Man, those vertical beams are all cattywampus.”Ĭhip away: Tackling a problem bit by bit until it’s completely solved. “Our product is definitely buzzword material.”Ĭattywampus: Misaligned or not arranged correctly. “I’m busier than a rooster in a hen house today.”īuzzword compliant: A product that checks all the boxes by including the same features as its competitors. “Stop using a belt and suspenders approach in your designs.”īusier than a rooster in a hen house: Incredibly busy. “Looks like we’re on banker’s hours this week.”īelt and suspenders: Designing with caution, sometimes to the point of over-engineering. “I kicked off the design with some back-of-the-envelope math.”īanker’s hours: A short workday, starting late and leaving early. “Ask the contractor for their marked-up sheets so we can finalize the as-built drawings.”īack of the envelope: Quick and rough calculations. “The work of those contractors is like monkeys fucking a football.”Īll hat, no cattle: All talk with no action.Īs-built: The final set of design drawings for a project, reflecting the finished construction. Engineering slang words and expressions’ listĪ monkey fucking a football: Delivering poor quality work. I’ve compiled a comprehensive list of engineering slang, including phrases I’ve used and heard across various engineering fields. Some engineering slang words and expressions are downright hilarious, while other terms are essential for thriving in the profession.
