something-something

English

Alternative forms

Noun

something-something (plural something-somethings)

Something that has no name or that one would prefer not to name.
- 2006, The New Quarterly - Issues 97-100, page 46:
  We half-watch our whereabouts, the newness of remnants we've no name for, something-somethings that whisk past ...
1. A snack or morsel of food that does not constitute a meal.
  - 2006 April 27, Victoria, “A little something-something”, in alt.fifty-plus.friends (Usenet):
    In my family, when we aren't really hungry, we'll prowl the kitchen for a little "something-something." I thought it was our saying until I heard someone on TV call dessert a "little something-something."
  - 2014, Jason Roberts, Stacey Colino, Good Food--Fast!, →ISBN:
    It's just a little something-something. This way, I'm able to control my sweet tooth.
2. Something special such as a gift or extra money.
  - 2013, Alex Alvarez, The One: A Gay Fable, →ISBN, page 80:
    And I'm optimistic that you got something nice for us, 'cause I ain't sitting out here all day without a little something-something.”
  - 2013, Charmaine R. Parker, The Trophy Wives: A Novel, →ISBN, page 233:
    Perhaps Ian had alerted Trevor to her outlandish splurging, and he'd downsized her allowance. Since she had a little something-something to work with, she'd sneak in a few outings while in L.A. ...
  - 2013, Joe Wiebe, Craft Beer Revolution: The Insider's Guide to B.C. Breweries, →ISBN, page 182:
    This Kölsch-style ale is as close as you'll get to a lager from Nelson Brewing, and the toasted hemp seeds add a little something-something.
  - 2015, Allison Hobbs, Karen E. Quinones Miller, Hittin' It Out the Park, →ISBN, page 74:
    Well, you'd have to give my friend something since she's the one who booked the gigs, and I think I deserve a little something-something.
3. A situation.
  - 2008, Dante Elgin, Djinn on the Rocks, →ISBN, page 74:
    Said he saw a little something-something happen in this building and would only talk to me.
  - 2010, Darren Crockett, CheapSkate, →ISBN, page 5:
    "I ran into a little something-something," Lamont replied.
  - 2011, Adam Levin, The Instructions, →ISBN:
    “And if Miss Pinge thinks something's something, well...a little something-something we might have indeed.”
4. A sexual encounter.
  - 2011, Laurie McElroy, Hannah Montana: Wishful Thinking, →ISBN:
    “Come on, baby,” Oliver continued. “Give me a little something-something.”
  - 2013, Liz Talley, His Uptown Girl, →ISBN, page 31:
    It wasn't as if he hadn't had fantasies about a little something-something with a client or two.
  - 2014, Shane Colwell, Tsunami Eyes, →ISBN, page 139:
    A little something-something to break in the new place.
5. An affair or extramarital sexual partner.
  - 2011, Persia Walker, Black Orchid Blues, →ISBN, page 153:
    I thought he was having an affair, had a little something-something stashed away on the side.
  - 2014, Lisa Renee Jones, Infinite Possibilities, →ISBN, page 36:
    Luke's hand settles on my waist and he leans in to whisper, “Your mom got a little something-something going on the side?
6. Something illegal.
  - 2010, Alana Reneé, Concealed Weapons, →ISBN:
    Nothing they found stuck to this kid, but things were about to change. NPD was planning a little something-something for the boy's hind parts.
  - 2010, Mark C. Mallory, The Chronicles of Mann Book 1, →ISBN:
    {You know, a little something-something for the head, alright!} {Give them hot-in-the-ass-bitches a line an blow this joint; take a ride a go get a little something-something for the head, you know what I mean?}
  - 2012, Liz Talley, Under the Autumn Sky, →ISBN:
    “Yo, Coach D, you want me to see if Doc will give me a little something-something for first half?”
7. A so-and-so.
  - 1980, Dennis Wheatley, The deception planners: my secret war, page 198:
    If I have the good luck to get near any of those so-and-sos, my boots are good enough for me. I'll kick the something-somethings where it tickles most.'
  - 1995, Jamie Foster Brown, S2S Magazine - Volume 7, Issues 1-6, page 10:
    Romeo said he was excellent in math, although when I gave him a math percentage problem, he couldn't do it, because their 3-hour a day tutorhadn't gotten them that far, yet. I'm such a devil, but they were gracious little "something-somethings" the whole time.
  - 2005, Kathleen Rooney, Reading with Oprah: The Book Club that Changed America, →ISBN, page 111:
    You're nothing but a something-something bookworm.

Usage notes

This term is used primarily, although not exclusively, in the phrase "a little something-something".

Phrase

something-something

Replaces parts of a sentence a speaker either does not know or deems unimportant; blah blah blah.
– How does that work?
– Something something motors, something something tension.