sympathy is between shit and syphilis

English

Etymology

An allusion to the alphabetical position of the word sympathy in a dictionary.

Phrase

sympathy is between shit and syphilis

1. (colloquial, vulgar, humorous, derogatory) A dismissal of a person seeking sympathy, telling them to look elsewhere.
   • 2003, Bill Harding, Growler, page 93:

     Murphy stared out of the window. "If you're looking for sympathy, take a look in Webster's dictionary. Try between 'shit' and 'syphilis'."

   • 2007, Carl E. Prichard, Silent Agony, page 100:

     I told you before if you are looking for sympathy, it's in the dictionary between shit and syphilis. Other than that you get nothing from me.

   • 2010, Chip Giles, The Conch Killers, page 56:

     "Sympathy. Wait, let me get it right. Okaaay, I know. You're supposed to look in the dictionary. That's it! Then you'll find sympathy between shit and syphilis. There! That's it!"

   • 2012, Richard Marcinko, John Weisman, Detachment Bravo:

     The master chief I call Boomerang, who knows that sympathy is the word that sits in the SEAL dictionary between shit and syphilis, reminded me that if we were going to take the fuckin' tangos down, I'd better stop wasting time […]

   • 2013, Mark D Holroyd, Frog Tales, page 225:

     Everyone knows sympathy is between shit and syphilis in the dictionary, and you don't want either of them, but Ted was about to get at least one!

   • 2022, Famously quoted by Sarah Platt during the 23/3/22 edition of Coronation Street. Although the word ‘shit’ was changed to ‘shame’ due to the watershed nature of the show.

Usage notes

• As shown by the citations, the same idea is expressed in many different forms, usually with explicit mention of a dictionary.