Crap is a slang word meaning
literally 'faeces', and is mostly used to mean either this, or
alternatively, 'of low quality' [1]. The latter meaning is
sometimes considered mildly vulgar whereas the former meaning is
often considered mildly or moderately vulgar, but could be, on
occasion, viewed as strongly vulgar by means of scatological and
sensory-provoking use of the word.
In its latter meaning it also connotes inaccurate, of little
factual substance, lies, hype, or quackery.
The word is used nearly interchangeably with "shit" and considered
by many people to be the less offensive of the two. Still, some
people find the word crap offensive, even if not intended to mean
feces, and will use the minced oath "crud" instead. Crap is used in
many ways to substite worse language. Holy crap, oh my crap, what
the crap, craphead are some examples.
Etymology
The word "crap" is old in the English language, one of a group of
nouns applied to discarded cast offs, like "residue from
renderings" (1490s) or in Shropshire, "dregs of beer or ale",
meanings probably extended from Middle English crappe "chaff, or
grain that has been trodden underfoot in a barn" (c. 1440),
deriving ultimately from Late Latin crappa, "chaff".
The word fell out of use in Britain by the 1600s, but remained
prevalent in the North American colonies which would eventually
become the United States. The meaning "to defecate" was recorded in
the U.S. since 1846 (according to Oxford and Merriam-Webster), but
the word did not hold this meaning at all in Victorian
England.
The connection to Thomas Crapper is conjectured by Hart-Davis to be
an unfortunate coincidence of his surname. The occupational name
Crapper is a variant spelling of Cropper. In the US, the word
crapper is a dysphemism for "toilet". The term first appeared in
print in the 1930s. It has been suggested that US soldiers
stationed in England during World War I (some of whom had little
experience with indoor plumbing) saw many toilets printed with "T.
Crapper" in the glaze and brought the word home as a synonym for
"toilet" a sort of back-formation from "crap." This suggestion,
however, overlooks the fact that "crapper" was a well-established
word long before that time.
Yet another purported explanation is that Thomas Crapper's flush
toilet advertising was so widespread, and the business name "T.
Crapper & Sons, Chelsea," was seen on so many toilets, that
"crapper" became a synonym for "toilet" and people simply assumed
that he was the inventor.
Despite the word usually taking the form of either a noun or verb,
some people (usually speakers from Commonwealth countries[citation
needed]) use crap interchangeably with its adjective form crappy.
For example, "My computer has a really crap video card," or "I'm
crap at this."
The word "crappit" is also a replacement for damnit, as kids today
have altered the word "crap" somewhat. People sometimes use the
word "crap" instead of shit.
