from goo to you, by way of the zoo

A humorous simplification of the evolution of simple organisms to sea life, to early mammals, to primates, to humans. Typically used as a sarcastic dismissal of the theory of evolution. So, what, you just think that slime grew on a rock, and it somehow eventually turned into us? From goo to you, by way of the zoo, is that it? Oh, from goo to you, by way of the zoo—that's what you're going with? I wonder what Darwin would have to say about that. A: "I think she liked Inherit the Wind for its argument against the theory of evolution." B: "Hoo boy. From goo to you, by way of the zoo, eh?"

it's a zoo

Some place or thing is busy, crowded, and/or chaotic. Primarily heard in US. I'm not going to the store on a Sunday, it's always a zoo then! Oh, it's a real zoo at this birthday party with 30 six-year-olds.

See also: zoo

it's feeding time at the zoo

A large group of people are eating together in an uncivilized, unorganized, or uncontrolled manner. Every day at 12:30, it's feeding time at the zoo in the cafeteria. I usually just avoid it and eat on my own in the courtyard.

like feeding time at the zoo

Totally uncivilized, unorganized, or uncontrolled. Every day at 12:30, it's like feeding time at the zoo in the cafeteria. I usually just avoid it and eat on my own in the courtyard. Did you see the way their kids behave when they're at home? Sheesh, it's like feeding time at the zoo!

stew zoo

obsolete slang A house or apartment rented by a group of several female flight attendants (formerly known as stewardesses). A crude reference to the stereotype of such women being known for carefree or wild behavior in their personal lives. My grandmother was actually living in one of these stew zoos when she met my grandfather. She had to share it with four other women because it was the only way they could all afford to live in New York City.

wazooed

1. slang Drunk. Everyone was pretty wazooed from all that wine by the end of the meal. He's such a lightweight. He gets wazooed from just one bottle of beer!

2. slang Conned, cheated, or duped; hoodwinked. It's pretty clear that voters have been wazooed by the duplicitous politician. I didn't want to get wazooed, so I brought my dad with me to buy a used car.

what a zoo

An expression used to describe a place or thing is busy, crowded, and/or chaotic. Ugh, the grocery store on a Sunday—what a zoo. A birthday party with 30 six-year-olds? What a zoo.

zooed

slang Drunk. The party turned into a bit of a mess after everyone got zooed on the cheap vodka that Dave brought. She's too zooed to talk, let alone drive home!

See also: zoo

it's a zoo

Also, what a zoo. This is a place or situation of confusion and/or disorder. For example, Mary's got all these house guests with children and pets-it's a zoo, or We're in the midst of moving our office and files are all over the place-what a zoo! [Slang; late 1800s]

See also: zoo

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

it's a zoo

AMERICAN, INFORMAL

People say it's a zoo to mean that a situation is noisy and uncontrolled. Les Baux's views may be gorgeous, but at nearly two million visitors a year, it's a zoo.

See also: zoo

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

whazood

and waa-zooed (ˈʍɑˈzud and ˈwɑˈzud)

mod. alcohol intoxicated. Pete was too waa-zooed to stand up.

waa-zooed

verb

See whazood

zoo

n. a confusing and chaotic place. This place is a zoo on Monday mornings.

zooed

(zud)

mod. drunk. Sam likes to go out and get zooed every weekend.

See also: zoo

stew zoo

An apartment house in which many female flight attendants lived. Back in prepolitically correct days, female flight attendants were called “stewardesses” and had the reputation for being attractive and, even better to the male mind, “fun” (Frank Sinatra's hit ballad “Come Fly with Me” became something of an anthem). Stewardesses (or a many self-styled hip males called them “stewardii”) shared apartments, a rentsaving arrangement that appealed to their lifestyle because one or more was usually traveling. Apartment buildings in large cities, especially ones with easy access to airports, that attracted the young women were known as “stew zoos.”